Heavy Lies the Crown
by Whedonist
Summary: 7th in the Nikki and Nora AU that I've built set after, at least a year and a half after the events in Roll Away Your Stone
1. A Simple Round

Disclaimer: Dude! - these characters are mostly not mine. Nikki, Nora and the others introduced in the pilot belong to others, that kinda makes me sad, but I am going to play with them and promise they'll be no worse for the wear when I'm done.

A/N: For those of you that read, I hope you enjoy it and commenting isn't really necessary, but it does sort of make my cold, black nugget of a heart-type thing twinge, so thank you (to the readers and the commenters). Take care and more later.

Ch.1 – A Simple Round

I pull up in front of the elementary school and put Bruce in park. It's a bright summer morning and with school just starting, Rashad's a little more than excited. His last year here, Newmark Elementary, and then on to junior high. I look him over, sitting in the passenger seat with a new backpack nestled between a new pair of Nike's in a pair of new jeans and a crisp t-shirt. The kid looks good.

I place my hand on his shoulder and he blinks, looking back at me. Bright brown eyes under ridiculously long lashes light up. "Thanks for dropping me off, Ms. Nikki," he says almost shyly.

You would think after nearly two years, he'd get more comfortable. He's still gun shy though, despite the attempts Nora, myself and our families have made to make him feel included. I just offer him a half smile and run my hand over his shaved head, giving it a little shake in the process. "Well, seeing as how Darius is with my daddy at the House, I couldn't say no to seeing my favorite eleven year old to his first day of his last year in grade school, could I?"

He grins back at me and says, "I'm the only eleven year old you know."

The kid's got me there. I shrug it off, "Just 'cause you're the only one, sugga, doesn't mean you can't be my favorite." I wink at him and he ducks his head.

He's just adorable.

"Go on, have fun, stay out of trouble, Rashad." I shoo him out of Bruce and he scrambles away happily. I watch him hit the entrance before he stops in a sea of small children, turns around and waves to me one last time before disappearing inside.

Patiently, I wait for my turn out of the line of cars to get back on to the street and towards the station. I don't even make it three feet from the curb before my phone starts ringing atop the dashboard. I glance at the time display on the dash and curse. "Beaumont," I pick up on the third ring.

"When are you gettin' your tail in here?" Benny asks, his words slightly clipped.

"On my way now, sweet thing. You just don't worry that pretty, little, cue ball-head about it none," I say as sweetly as possible. I signal for a right turn and head towards the station.

I'm late.

I couldn't care less.

"Nikki," he grumbles into the phone.

"Benny," I sing-song back, "Look, just 'cause I'm not there for Harney's lame morning roll-out won't hurt anyone there. The only affect my absence has is a positive one. Do I need to be there to provide a bad attitude at a ridiculously transparent policy to appeal to The Great Powers That Be?"

His silence gives me my answer.

"See, so you just go on and tell Dan that I had an emergency…"

"I could tell him you needed to stop for tampons," Benny snickers, "the way you've been stomping around here; I know he'd believe me."

"Hey, now…" I try to cut in.

"Nuh-huh, ever since Nora had to go, you've been grumping around here like a 'gator with a toothache," he laughs at me and I sigh.

"Well…" I suck my teeth and shoot back, "Like you aren't as bad when Little Miss Granola has cut you off for one reason or another." I really wish I could see his face right now, but I can't.

I don't mind being partnered with him during our rotation, but he's right, I'd rather have Nora with me. Ever since she and I got the reassignment a while back, Dan's taken to rotating the detectives in the unit. He's got all of us on some weird, convoluted schedule that makes all six of us in S.C.U. partner with each other over a given period of time.

"Hey, maybe it's cause of the position Dan's being bent over his desk by the brass? Maybe if I tell him to take it missionary, it'll open him up more and get his Chakras flowing right. Let's face it doggie style can cut off circulation."

"Oh, jeez. Benny really? Do I need to think about that this early in the morning?" I whine.

"I'm just sayin' they've got our Lieu. bent every which way and I, for one, would like to see it change," Benny gripes as I hear Dan call out in the background.

"Hmm, it's a sad, sad thing, seeing that man get put through the ringer," I agree with my partner. I also manage to find a space right in front of the station and park Bruce quickly. "I'm here. I'll see you in ten minutes. You want anything from the café?"

I hop out of the car and hear him sputter, "You're here? Get up here! You can still make the meeting and avoid the wrath of _**your**_ boss."

I shake my head as I lock up the car. "Nope, I need coffee and I really don't want to be there for that. You want anything or not?"

"The regular," he snips before disconnecting.

The smirk on my face won't threaten to leave for a few minutes more as I make my away across the street. The less of those "roll-outs" I attend, the better.

* * *

><p>Tension creeps slowly along the back of my neck and north. Sitting in Bruce when it's hotter than hell, even with the air conditioner on, is not my idea of a good time. Yet, here I sit. Benny too.<p>

I roll my head in large circles trying to release the pain that's turning into a sizable tension headache. Dan and his ridiculous need to prove that he has the best unit in the N.O.P.D. I'm gonna start going back to my chiropractor and have him bill Harney personally.

I'm not even sure why we're on this case to begin with. It was assigned to detectives over in the Fourth and all of a sudden, we get asked to join…?

That doesn't make…"Ben, go over the details with me again?" I ask, wincing as my lower back twinges.

My partner in the passenger seat laughs and chides, "If you'd been to…"

"Ben," I warn, "details, now."

"Fine," he huffs and reiterates the case once again, "Oh-three-forty-three a call to dispatch from a cellular line requesting paramedics off Berhman and Odeon in the Fourth. Detectives Desiree Yoshimitsu and her partner Will McCreary were the responding. The vic's name is Deron Doyle lives about three blocks up from where he was found. Assaulted from the first account. Kid, age twenty-two, had a lacerated liver and a punctured lung from a broken rib. Went in to surgery immediately and coded on the operating table. Assault got upgraded to murder and here we are." Benny looks at me out of the corner of his eye and adds, "Anything else, _mon petit_?"

I finally crack a grin six hours into our shift and answer, "That'll do, _mon cheri_." That earns me a glare and I can't help laughing before I ask, "So when's Yoshimitsu and McCreary supposed to meet us? 'Cause sittin' here any longer and the leather in my shoes is liable to melt."

I look on, smiling, as Benny scratches his three day old beard.

"Don't think about it, Benny, just accept that it's hotter than the sphincter of Hades and we're sittin' smack dab in it." I step on the gas a little and rev the engine. I don't think it'll help any, but we've been sitting here for the last forty minutes. Maybe it'll help cool down the air a little.

"They said two," he answers absently and looks at his watch. "Which was twenty minutes ago." His brow creases as he removes his phone from the top of the dashboard and scrolls through a menu. I hear the redial response as he holds it up to his ear and speaks, "Hey, it's Armstrong and Beaumont, you two held up?"

I can't hear the reply, but I see the bob of his head and hear the hum of his disapproval. "…right, 'cause we wanted to take the case from you two?" His lips smack together and he snaps back, "Look detective, we wouldn't be involved if it wasn't for our lieu, so can the pissing contest and put your hose away. Either you want to do your damn job and help the vic or you want to manage your close rate and ignore your job."

I cock my head to the side to try and listen. Benny's pretty worked up and from personal experience, getting him pissed off's a pretty hard thing to do. Usually you have to try, damn hard, to get him to his current level of distress. The tips of his ears are red, his nostrils are flared and if he busts a vein…

"It's called protect and serve, asshole. Look it up or turn in your badge." His phone snaps shut and my eyebrows climb into my bangs.

"I take it they weren't too happy about having us take the case?" I venture a few minutes later.

"The stupid…" he huffs and stuffs the phone in his breast pocket, "I'm not one to call a woman a bitch, don't really care for the term at all, but sometimes, some women…"

"She was a bitch, Benny, it's okay. I'll call her one for you," I say patting his arm. "So, where does that leave us?" I ask now that we're not going to be meeting the detectives that responded.

He shrugs. "Square fucking one." He slouches down in the leather, bucket seats and props his head on his fist.

My fingers drum across the steering wheel as I chew on my lower lip. "All right, let's go check out the scene first, figure out what we can learn from that. Then we can hit up the hospital, see what the doctors there can tell us," I decide and put the car in drive.

"Sounds like a plan," he perks up and asks, "Maybe after the hospital, we go grab a quick bite and then talk to the next of kin. Report said notification was done when the kid was brought in, but I'm not sure what kinda questioning was done."

Bobbing my head, I amend the agreement, "If it's not too late. Darius and Rashad are at some bru-ha-ha with my daddy and no one's home to let Mister out for his walk."

"Seems fair. Dom and Rosalie wanted me to come over after work tonight anyhow. I think Jo was gonna come with me."

I maneuver around a tow truck and head towards the scene. At least it's a start. The notes from the other detectives would have helped but, doesn't look like that's going to happen.

* * *

><p>The house is a little too quiet when I make it home. The clock above the stove tells me I should have been home three hours ago. After the hospital, it became pretty clear Benny and I weren't going to be done soon, so I swung by earlier and let Mister out for a short walk before we went back to work.<p>

The corners of my mouth angle down as Mister's only greeting is a small tail thump from the corner of the living room. Reba's probably upstairs curled up on a pillow. I sigh and toss my keys and purse on the kitchen counter. "Yeah," I grumble in Mister's general direction, "I miss her too, buddy."

Deciding today was a bust, I head to the fridge and grab my favorite scotch from the top and set it down. Pulling a clean rock glass from the cupboard, I fill it with a few cubes of ice and pour a finger or two. I leave the bottle there and head into my too quiet home. I frown as the throbbing in my feet and head become a little too pronounced.

Plopping down on the couch, I set the glass on the coffee table and slip my shoes off. I watch Mister pad up to me and I reach out patting the seat next to me. His fury little eyebrows skirt between me and the spot I've indicated before he jumps and curls into the couch. "Good boy," I coo and scratch his back end.

"Now, let's see if me and your mama can quit playing phone tag and actually have a conversation with each other."

I pull my cell phone free from its belt holster, hit Nora's designated speed dial, '2', and wait for her to pick up by sipping my drink. It burns all the way through to my stomach and I close my eyes at the sensation.

"Delaney," Nora picks up and I stifle the urge to squeal in triumph.

"Thank you, Lord," I say instead, "If I got your voicemail one more time…" I threaten, smiling into the phone.

Her laughter is music to my poor ears as I set my glass down and slump over resting my head on Mister's backend. I pull my feet up and swing them over the opposite arm of the couch. "Yeah, well, I kept getting yours to, Nik. I know how it feels," she replies. "Long day?"

"Hmm-uh-huh," I mumble and just listen to her breathe through the phone. "Dan pulled a case from the Fourth that he has Benny and me working. Georgia and I are still on that robbery case and Rashad started school today," I fill her in before switching gears, "Enough about me though. What's going on and when are you coming home?" I ask

She sighs and I hear her shuffle and a door close before she answers, "I don't know, to either of those questions." My frown deepens as she continues quietly, "Ann's stuck out of the country on a case. Jill's a basket case and Linda's really not in much better shape."

I sigh myself and run a hand over my face, rubbing my tired eyes. She hasn't been gone more than a week and…

I'm kind of pathetic.

"I'm sorry, Nor. Is there anything they need? Anything I can do?" I ask, putting a cap on my internal pity-party and direct the sympathy where it should go.

"Not really, we've been at the hospital nearly the entire time I've been here." She pauses and takes a breath. "I just don't know what to do. The doctor's are pretty reserved. The surgery went well, they said. It's the recovery. Apparently, John's caught something that's…one of the nurses says it happens, compromised immune system. If it turns into pneumonia…" she trails off and doesn't say what the outcome of that would be.

It's still a little weird to think the man I know is that sick. Jill's dad isn't a big guy, wiry and slim, but he didn't seem…

A heart attack.

From everything I knew, he was in such good shape.

I shake my head and offer, "Mister misses you," trying to break the tension.

She laughs ruefully and asks, "He the only one?"

"Rashad asked about you. Pat and Chris haven't said much. Your mama's been putting the screws to

Bobby for some more information," I shrug, "Other than that, it's same ole, same ole."

"No one else?" she asks, the playful note in her voice warms me.

"Only me, every second, sug, only me," I finally admit and quietly add, "You know, I was thinking this morning that this is the longest we've been apart in…"

"You'll never get this," she teases me.

"Six years, tomorrow, Nora Marie. It's taken me a while, but, I'm putting to pasture the myth about old dogs and new tricks." I grin as she whistles into the phone.

"I miss you too. I didn't think…" she stops and starts again, "When Jill called, you know my immediate response was yes. I just didn't think about leaving you for – well, I wasn't really sure how long."

"It's okay. I would have done the same thing if she'd of called me. Just tell her that we love her. I'll see if maybe I can get a longer weekend, three or four days, even if it means I work ten straight, to get up there." I shift and feel Mister sink a little further into the cushions. Our dog makes quite the comfy pillow.

"If you can swing it, with me out, I'm sure Dan has his hands full trying to keep you in line," she teases me.

"Ha! Try Benny. I think he may have made good on the threat this morning of telling Dan I had stop at the store for tampons," I snicker. "I think I've been a bit…'Nora-esque' since you've been up there."

"Ah, well, then apologize to him for me, will you? You being a bitch isn't near as much fun when I do it," Nora states and I can tell she's smiling.

"Just because…" I try to defend.

"I'm bark and little bite. You, baby, are little bark and all teeth. Seriously though, our anniversary is tomorrow and I'm here. You're there and neither the twain shall meet."

Hmm, maybe…no, not with the cases open, I can't.

"Well, we may not be able to meet, meet, but what about I pencil you in tomorrow night and you can tell me what you're wearing?" I ask, dropping my voice. "What are you wearing now that we're on the subject? A pick me up wouldn't be bad." I drag a finger tip over my stomach lightly, like Nora would do if she were lying with me on the couch.

"Nik, please," she whines, "As much as I want to answer that question…"

I sigh, "Not the time or the place?" I venture.

"I'm sorry," she says gently. "I would…"

"I know. So I'll consider this a rain check for another day, but I will be thinking of you tonight." I wiggle my eyebrows for her even though she can't see me.

"Hmm, don't be a tease or at least give me the details a bit later," she breathes. "But you sound tired and I should go track down Jill and Linda."

"Okay," I sigh for the millionth time, "love you, Delaney."

"Me too, Beaumont. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"You better, sugga, or there will be hell to pay," I warn her before disconnecting.

I lift up, toss the phone on to the coffee table and then flop back down earning a disgruntled huff from Mister.

This just kinda sucks.


	2. Cheating Gravity

Ch. 2 – Cheating Gravity

Usually it's the eastern exposure and the sunlight sneaking through the window in Jill's childhood room that's been waking me up this past week.

Not today.

As my eyes crack open, my immediate response is to hold tighter to the thin frame snuggled against me.

I feel her faintly shudder in my arms and the dampness on my chest is unmistakable. "Shhh," I coo thickly and run my hand through her hair.

She's been like this off and on. The crying jags come and go.

It makes me remember when my dad was sick.

So I hold her tighter, trying to soothe some of the pain she's in. My dad and I weren't close for years before he got sick, but it didn't take away from the fact that I loved him.

John and Jill are still close. I know they get together at least once a week if they can. She also talks to them daily. Maybe it's a perk of being an only child.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles against my chest.

"Shh, you don't have anything to be sorry for," I insist gently, whispering into the top of her head before placing a kiss there. "Crying's expected. If you didn't, I'd be worried."

We lay there, holding on to each other. Her breathing finally evens out and I roll onto my back. She follows, swinging a leg over my hips and burrowing her face in my neck. I smooth back her tousled hair and kiss her forehead, asking, "You better now?"

She nods her head, but stays silent. Instead, she plays with my medallion.

The house is quiet with Linda at the hospital; the only sound is the air conditioner pushing air through the vents. It takes a few more minutes, but Jill finally rolls off me and says, "I'm gonna go get ready."

I nod and lace my fingers behind my head to watch her scurry off to the bathroom. Listening to her next door fumbling around in the shower, I stare up at the white textured ceiling.

I wish there was more I could do. I can think of half a dozen people off the top of my head that deserve this more.

And damn Ann.

I get it. Our line of work is hard, demanding and can pull you away from your family at the most inconvenient times, but she should be here.

I should be…no, I guess I should be here too, but Nikki should be with me.

I sigh, snatch the pillow from under my head and press it over my face as I softly scream in frustration. Our six year anniversary as a couple and I'm in Richmond, Virginia with my ex-girlfriend's wife, sharing her bed and holding said wife at night.

I roll my eyes against the pillow and sigh again.

If my relationship with Jill and Ann were even remotely close to being normal, this wouldn't be happening.

I give up trying to sort it out in my head; I should just accept that some relationships in life are far more complex than they need to be.

The only thing with that is that what I feel for the pair isn't complex at all. It's pretty simple. It's as simple as what I feel for Nikki, just different.

And thinking of…

I reach over to the small nightstand and grab my phone, dialing Nikki's number with ease.

"Beaumont," comes her husky voice and I know I've woke her up.

"Morning, beautiful," I whisper.

"Hmmm, Nora, baby, it's…" she stops talking and I hear her curse before coming back on the line, "…it's not even seven. I don't have to be at the station 'till nine."

"I know, but we're getting ready to leave and I just wanted to say happy anniversary." I pick at the loose thread on my tank top and smile. I can't help it. I haven't even had a cup of coffee yet.

"Happy anniversary, sugga. You guys going to leave soon?" she asks perking up.

"Probably, but, I just…" I trail off not sure how to organize my thoughts.

"Well, then I'm glad you called. Even if you woke me up from a wonderful dream."

"Hmm, and what kind of dream were you having?" I ask, curious to the answer and wondering if I should even start down this road.

"Me, a bottle of suntan oil, nude beach and…" she lingers before going in for the kill, "Maria Bello."

The bark of laughter is covered up by my hand. I shake my head. "If it wasn't me by your side on that beach, Nicollette, we will be having a serious talk later on today."

She giggles into the phone and sighs, "Trust me, sug, it was all you and me."

I hear the shower shut off and decide I need to get a move on. "Baby, I need to go. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, go back to your other brunette," she teases me a little more. "I love you and happy anniversary, Nora Marie."

My chest tightens and I reply, "Love you too and happy anniversary, Nik."

Jill comes through the open door wrapped in a towel just as I say the last bit and hang up the phone. Her head cocks to the side and her eyes narrow ever so slightly as I set the phone back on the night stand. "Nikki?" she asks.

I nod and swing my legs onto the cold hardwood floor. "You leave me any hot water?" I ask slipping passed her towards the bathroom.

"A little," she jokes as I shut the bathroom door.

As I strip and turn the shower on, I prepare myself for another long day of waiting.

* * *

><p>I pass along the bottle of water and sit down next to Jill on the couch in the waiting room of V.C.U.'s Pauley Heart Center 's I.C.U. The hot coffee in my hand takes me back year, a decade – give or take, to when I was waiting in hospitals with my dad. "How long did the nurse say?" I set my coffee on the stock furniture and wrap my arm around Jill's slim shoulders.<p>

She leans into me and rests her head on my shoulder. I kiss the top of her head as she answers, "An hour, I think. The nurse…Darlene, said that she'd come get us when they were back."

I nod and rest my cheek against the top of her head to wait along with her.

"Nora," Jill's voice is just above a whisper, "did I hear you right this morning, your's and Nikki's anniversary is today?"

"Hmm-hmm, it is," my voice equally soft, it's not like there are other people in the waiting room with us. I'm just following Jill's lead.

"You should be down there with her. I'm sorry," she sniffles and I hold a little tighter.

"Take it back, Jill. She'd be up here with me too if we both could have swung it. You know that. We're good. I'll make it up to her when I get home." I stretch my legs and rest them on the coffee table. If my mama saw me, I shudder to think of the slap that would be coming my way, but…she's not here and despite the time in bed last night, I'm tired.

"Do something nice for that woman of yours," she sighs, choosing not to argue with me. I'm grateful for that.

"I will," I promise and smile as some ideas of making it up to her cross my mind.

"Hey, Nora," Jill cuts into my thoughts, some less than appropriate, "did I ever tell you about the time my dad took me and Ann out and tried to teach us to drive?"

"I don't think I've heard that one. Tell me," I say hoping that a story will distract her for a little.

"We were, I had just turned sixteen and Ann was going on seventeen. My dad was on me about learning how to drive. Poor Lee carted us everywhere in his little Ford Fiesta. We, uh, my dad took us out in his little truck to some back roads out by our house and just said, 'Drive.' Like it was that easy, ya know?" I release my hold as she shifts her position and turns to face me.

I turn in to her and mirror her position, my head propped in my hand, our knees touch and a ghost of a smile plays at the corner of her mouth. Unable to resist, I tuck a lock of hair that's fallen from her ponytail behind her hear.

"Anyway, it was like this 'sink or swim' moment and I was so nervous. Ann had already been driving, but she didn't have a car and didn't see the point in getting her license until she had saved enough money to buy one." Jill shakes her head at the memory and rolls her eyes. "I swear, I wonder sometimes how Annie did it. She was always working, screw school. She didn't need to study for her classes. Do you know if it hadn't been for her stupid family, she would have been valedictorian?"

I shake my head and answer, "Ann's never shared that much, you know…"

Jill's free hand closes over my knee and squeezes. "Trust me; if we hadn't lived through it with her, I doubt I'd know half the bullshit they put her through. She was always super smart. Never studied. Always got A's." A rueful chuckle escapes her and she admits, "It used to annoy me so much. I'd bust my ass and end up at the most with a 'B' in a class. She slept through her AP classes and got 'A's'" She rolls her eyes and I smile.

"So anyway, she got to go first, easy as walking for her, the bitch," Jill snickers good naturedly.

"Should I tell that wife of yours you're calling her a bitch when she's not here to defend herself?" I chide.

"She knows. Trust me. She knows." Jill shakes her head and I feel her fingertips trace patterns over my lower thigh, "Annie just took to it, obviously, while, I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Nearly ran us into a ditch. In fact, my dad and Ann switched spots 'cause the cab of the truck was a small three seater. He put her next to me…" She trails off and looks at the open doorway. "I think, no, I know that even then he knew. I had no clue, but my dad knew what Ann and I were way before either of us did."

"So he wasn't too shocked then?" I ask, genuinely interested.

"Nope," she shakes her head, "He just sort of patted my shoulder and told me that as long as I was happy, he didn't care. He loves Ann. When she was homeless, they asked her to stay with us."

"Wait, what?" I feel the frown tug the corners of my mouth and try to school my features.

Jill just waves it away like it's old news, "It wasn't for long, she got into it with her family. She promptly got an apartment though. Lived in the back office of her second job for like a week." Jill just shrugs it off and picks right back up, "So I mean when I came out to them, he was wonderful about it. My mom…"

My eyebrows rise. "She wasn't okay with it?"

Jill snorts. "My mom was over the moon. She just smacked me on the back of my head and wondered what in the hell took me so long to figure it out."

"You're kidding?" I twist and rest my back against the couch to listen to the rest of the story.

"Nope. My mom, again, I swear if they could have had Ann for a kid…but yeah, I was lucky. My parents, in short, fucking rock, but I know not everyone's that lucky."

She looks at me, the set of her features tells me it's not necessarily about me and my situation, but more of Ann's and what her wife dealt with growing up. I think having Ann there, to show Jill a different reality, helped her. Not everything was the Americana she grew up with.

"She came out well though, no?" I ask, smiling at her.

She nods her head emphatically. "Way better than…she also managed to find some amazing friends when she…when I pushed her away."

I shrug. "She helped me too, ya know? I don't know…"

"Life's funny like that though. And here we are. Which still doesn't excuse the fact that Ann hasn't called me in three days." Her face sours and it's my turn to reach out and soothe her.

"She's fine. We would have heard something by now," I remind her gently.

"I know. I just worry. She makes me be in this constant state of worry when John drags her away from me like this," she tells me, looking down at her lap and playing with her wedding ring.

"You want me to kick her ass when she gets home?" I ask and make sure she knows I mean it.

"No," she sighs, "I'll kick her ass and then make her beg." Jill wiggles her eyebrows at me and I shake my head.

"Mrs. Flemming, your father's in his room," the nurse says, her head poking around the door frame.

Jill nods and eases up from her position. Holding out her hand to me, I take it as she hoists me up. "Come on; let's go bug my dad with stories about you now." She links our arms together and leads me away from the waiting room.

* * *

><p>"You really are the sweetest creature," Nikki doesn't even say hello when she picks up my call.<p>

I look over at Jill next to me and can't help the blush, hoping that she didn't hear Nikki. "Well, hello to you too," I reply back and settle back against the pillows against the wall.

"Not only do you send me flowers at the station, which I had to field questions about, half the floor saw the earrings," she purrs. "My dear, even a thousand miles away you're causing trouble."

I shrug. "It's what I do. Seriously though, you like the earrings?" I ask. Sometimes, I know exactly what she wants or I keep track of what she looks for if she drags me shopping. The earrings I picked up for her for our anniversary were all me though. Gold and sterling silver Fleur De Lis. Not too flashy, but something she can wear all the time or with a dress when she gets fancy.

"They're perfect, sugga," she gushes and adds, "I had to put them in right away. Benny says he didn't know you were such a romantic. Dom says he's taking you with him when his anniversary rolls around."

"Oh boy, see I knew I should have made Darius or Bobby deliver them," I moan thinking of the teasing I'm sure to get once I get back. I look over as the bed shifts and Jill stands readying to leave the room. I pull the phone away from my mouth and ask, "Where you going?"

"I'm giving you a bit of privacy," she informs and speaks loud enough that I know Nikki can hear her, "And happy anniversary, Nik. You two don't say or do anything, I haven't done." With that and a wink, she slips out of her room, locking the door behind her.

I hear Nikki laugh in my ear as she says, "That woman is something else."

"Who are you telling?" I joke back. "So, Ms. Beaumont, how was your day?" I ask, settling back once again into the bed.

"Ugh," she grunts and I know it can't be good. "Where would you like me to start? The assault-homicide we pulled from the Fourth or the Meyer trial the D.A. is screwing up for us? Ah, I know, we can discuss the collective ass chewing your old partner gave us this morning because our close rate is slipping."

"That good, huh?" I try and joke, but get a sigh in return. "Tell me about the case first, run it down for me?"

"It's an assault gone south. I'm not even sure where to start. We interviewed the family today, nothing there. His last known location was a bar that really doesn't remember the guy. They also have no security cameras and right now, we're waiting on a subpoena from Lantagne so we can get credit and debit card receipts for that night. Although something tells me that a large portion of their clientele pays cash more often than not."

"No odd wound patterns? Trace? What about the vic's personal phone records or banking information?" I ask trying to be helpful.

"Nora, honey, this isn't my first rodeo. We've busted on everything so far. The vic was taken in to emergency at the University hospital. He coded on the table. The intake nurse was less than responsible with his clothes so anything that could have been pulled isn't going to help. Charlie won't get to him until tomorrow, at the earliest, and the only numbers on the phone were to family and two girls the guy was seeing," she grumbles at me.

Okay, so, none of that's going to help. "Should I even bother asking about the follow up on the women?"

"No, they both knew he was seeing other women and didn't seem too broken up by the news." Her frustration pours from her voice.

I offer the only thing I can, "You'll figure it out and if you want to bounce ideas off me…"

"I know," she cuts me off. "Now the Meyer trial…sometimes, I just don't understand what goes on inside a lawyer's head," she growls.

I can't think of anything that could possibly go wrong with that. We handed a signed confession over to the D.A., we had enough physical evidence and an eyewitness that put the guy in the area where the rape occurred.

"What's going on there?" I press. "McGrotty's the A.D.A. on the case, yes?"

"He is and he's letting that rat, Briseno, run roughshod over him in the court room. Meyer's calling coercion from the arresting detectives…"

"Which was us," I grumble right along with her now.

"Exactly and we both know it was clean. McGrotty was there when we did the interrogation. Shelly Wirtz is having second thoughts too. She doesn't want to testify."

"Damn." I shake my head. "We handed him the damn thing wrapped up with a bow for Christ's sake."

"I know, sugga, I know. I'll know more tomorrow. She's supposed to testify and I'm there for the morning. Les and I did the prep right before I left the station. We'll see," she finally settles a little.

Of course, now I'm kind of pissed.

"Enough about my day though, there's really only so much bitching I can do and Pat already got an earful when he swung buy with Mister. How's everything on your end?" she asks as I hear ice being dropped into a glass.

"It was the same as yesterday. We hang out, play cards, chat and watch the monitors in the hospital room." Running a hand through my hair, I shift and lay down on the bed. My feet dangle over the end and I toe my shoes off. "I'm sorry I'm not there for our anniversary, Nik. I can't think of anything better than slipping into the tub with you."

"Hmm, that sounds pretty wonderful right about now. I'll take a rain check, detective. That okay?" she groans.

"More than." My eyes flick to the locked door Jill was kind enough to provide and I decide what the hell, "So, if we were together and the bath was just right, what exactly would you do to me?"

I grin as she answers, "Oh, sugga let me tell you…"


	3. Back & Forth

Ch. 3 – Back & Forth

The layout of the bank is standard. The branch is relatively small, four teller windows off to the left of the entrance. The right of the office is a set of offices, three total, with two additional workstations in between the offices. A small sitting area set immediately to the right of the entrance while straight ahead is an island for customers to fill out slips for deposits and withdrawals before getting in line for a teller.

The time stamp on the video reads ten-thirty-two and twenty-six seconds on Tuesday morning. The bank was hit yesterday. Georgia and I watch as three people enter, guns already drawn and demand control of the bank. Every move the trio make is deliberate and swift. The leader of the group, or at least who I think to be the leader, seems to know who is in charge of what parts of the bank. One man is drawn out of an office and forced to let two of the suspects into the back.

The security feed follows them to the back of the bank and into a large open vault. Their faces are obscured by black masks. The witness accounts say they were opaque. Georgia and I are thinking they're probably made from the same material as those masks you get at Halloween. The ones that let you see out, but no one can see in.

One of the gunmen pulls a cloth bag from its position tucked behind the waistband of his black cargo pants. Quickly, he fills it with a several rows of stacked cash and signals to his partner. The two lead the branch manager back into the waiting area and just as quickly as they entered the building, they leave. The time stamp on the video as they exit reads ten-thirty-six and fourteen seconds.

Georgia reaches out and presses stop on the video player.

The whole thing took less than four minutes.

My initial assessment of the video is perfect.

They're assault was damn near surgical.

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and scratch my scalp. I sort of wish that I was back with Benny this week trying to clean up the assault/homicide. Unfortunately, Jesse was rotated over to Benny and Dom is in court most of this week.

"What do you think?" Georgia asks as she leans back in her own chair and rubs her eyes.

"We've ruled out employees?" I ask thinking that given what we've seen, a bank employee or a previous bank employee would make the most sense.

"We did and to bring you up to speed there was a similar robbery over in Lefitte about four months ago. We haven't been officially assigned to the case, but I've started making headway with the detective, Roger Pideaux, assigned to the case," Georgia fills me in.

I sit up at this bit of news and raise an eyebrow. This changes things a little.

"What I think is that this one," she points to the screen, "wasn't their first. With what the reports say, I don't think the hit in Lefitte was the first either."

"So Pideaux is willing to play with us and have we started a search for prior robberies?"

"Yes, he is and yes, I have…" she trails off.

"Lemme guess, S.S.U. is bogged down and is having trouble getting us what we need?" I purse my lips.

"It isn't high on their priority list right now," Georgia gripes.

Nodding, I grab my cell phone from the inside of my jacket pocket and dial a familiar number. I hold up a finger to Georgia and smile as Luke picks the phone up, "Delaney."

"Luke," I purr, "It's your favorite detective."

"Now, Nikki," Luke sighs, but I can hear the smile in his voice, "You can't be my favorite, I gotta keep a special place for that woman you've been stuck partnered with for more time than anyone should…"

"Oh, hush you, you know you like me better than her," I tuck my arm underneath the one holding the phone to my ear.

"You won't tell her?"

"I may hold my tongue if you can do me a favor," I hear him groan and then ask, "Det. Georgia Sartre, from our unit, put in a request. If you can get that filled for me, on the sooner side of the day, it would curry some favor your way."

"Hmm, hang on and lemme see what tickets are waiting to be assigned." I listen in and hear him quickly type.

It's funny; Nora's cousins on the force are an interesting bunch and so much like their cousins. Luke's temperament is very similar to Nora's and so are his looks, shaggy blonde hair and green eyes. I had the pleasure of meeting Luke and his brother, Joseph, at a Delaney family picnic that Nora nearly had a panic attack at.

He doesn't know about us, but that's okay. I was the one that's kept the cat in the bag with the rest of her family. I'm not looking for, nor does Nora need, a situation like the one my aunt's created. The few conversations I've had with her extended family tell me that it wouldn't go over well.

Patrick and Chris haven't been looked on too kindly.

No one in the Delaney family but Nora, Bobby and Nancy are talking to Patrick and Chris. Luke hasn't gone out of his way too, but he hasn't been as accepting as I thought he would be.

"All right, Ms. Beaumont, this may take some time. Det. Sartre looks to have gone through ViCap and N.C.I.C. already. Probably means it's not in the national systems and you know how ours are…" Luke teases.

"I know. Anything you can do will be appreciated," I say sincerely.

"I'll have the files over to you, if I find anything, before the end of today. I need to get started so you take care and say hello to that cousin of mine."

"I'll do that. Thanks again, Luke." I smile up at Georgia and offer her a wink.

I get an eye roll in return.

Luke disconnects and I drop my phone back in my pocket. "We'll have more later today."

* * *

><p>Six hours. Three cups of coffee. One sub-par deli sandwich.<p>

The counts on my day are not going as well as I would like. I glance up at the active case board and sigh.

Five open cases.

And let's not forget, nine files of previous robberies that match similar M.O.'s over the past five years.

I'm ignoring the single case of heartburn as it seems to be the least of my problems right now. Georgia doesn't seem to be fairing any better though so…

I suppose we'll soldier on together.

I prop my head in my hands, looking over at Nora's empty desk. If she were here, I'm sure I'd find the motivation towards a better disposition…

She'd give me a little smile or a quiet promise for later tonight to provide proper motivation. I think the only thing Georgia would promise me is a swift kick in the rear end.

"Beaumont," Georgia barks snapping me out of my sulk. She points to my phone on my desk.

I snatch it up and answer, "Beaumont."

"Nikki," Jen's voice sounds harried, "I swear by all the saints I can name, if you don't do something about that aunt and cousin of yours, I'm liable to take a bridge…with them tied up in the back seat."

An eyebrow lifts and I say, "Jen that seems rather drastic. Would you care to explain to me why you're contemplating double homicide?"

"Do you know how many phone calls I've fielded over the past three days asking if you've confirmed for the dinner party on Thursday night? Nikki, there's little I wouldn't do for you, but if that witch of a woman you call an aunt insinuates one more time…"

"Hey," I cut into her rant and rub my forehead. "Don't let her get to you. This whole situation is…"

"I understand, Nikki, for you and for Nora. I just…I was always told that if you don't have anything nice to say, not to say anything at all, but I swear I'm about to gnaw my tongue off keepin' silent."

I roll back in my chair, stand up and head for an interview room to finish off this conversation. Once the door's shut, I commiserate, "I know, Jen. I came out to that woman nearly ten years ago and yet…I know she's a lot to deal with. The most we've talked since Logan's death has been at society functions and even then…"

"I know, Nikki. I was there. Conversation was tense to say the least. I was talkin' to your daddy the other day and he said it's created more than its fair share of problems." I hear the office chatter quiet on her end and assume she went to her office. "I'm just venting. I'll field what I can for you."

"I know and you shouldn't have to." I lean against the wall and rest my head. "My uncle and daddy haven't been right since. Odd as it may seem, I don't think it's so much my orientation as it is my refusal to play by The Society's rules and expectations. I'm slumming it in her opinion."

Jen lets out a bark of laughter. "Nikki you haven't played by the rules since I've known you that shouldn't be a surprise for your family."

"Hmm, true, but you went to Wellesley, you have a degree, you have an acceptable job for someone in our position. I, on the other hand, work a blue collar job whose annual salary is the equivalent of a quarter of the interest I make on my trust fund. I live in a condo with a woman who comes from a working class background and would only set foot in a finishing school to arrest someone," I remind her.

"I see," she says.

"My aunt doesn't see that Nora's the best thing to happen to me in…she's the best thing to ever happen to me and I'm making a difference above picking out plants and donating money to various charities." I close my eyes and thump my head off the wall. "Look, when you talk to her next time…"

"…In an hour…"

"When you talk to her, tell her I'll be there. Put me down as plus one," I direct her and pry my eyes open.

"Nora going to come?" she asks.

"No, she's in Virginia with some friends, but I'll drag someone with me."

"All right. I'll make the arrangements," she agrees.

"I need to get going, but thanks Jen for…pretty much everything. I don't know how we would have made it through the past year without you." I push off the wall and head towards my desk welcoming the sounds of the station.

"I need something to do with my time, Nik. For what it's worth, I think Nora's been good for you too."

* * *

><p>"So," I say settling against the back of the tub, "I'm going to proposition you and before you shoot me down, sugga, I want you to seriously consider it."<p>

"Hmm," my Nora hums and asks, "Is this going to be like that time you dragged me to Atlanta and made me have sex with you in the hotel pool?"

My lips bloom into a full grin as I remember that particular trip. A function for the foundation took me to Atlanta for a weekend a few months back and I dragged Nora with me. She buckled under the pressure of that particular request when I ditched the bikini and jumped in the rooftop pool naked as the day as I born. I gently remind her, "If I remember baby, you didn't seem to mind it too much when you had me pressed up against the side of that pool."

"I most certainly did not and if I recall correctly, you vowed to not to do that again when the hotel maintenance guy nearly caught us," she reminds me and I can't help but blush.

"I'd do it again," I let her in on that little piece of information and amend, "and if you could reproduce the way you made me cum, I'd even disregard the maintenance man catching us."

"Nikki," Nora growls playfully.

"In fact, Nora dear, I may even overlook my daddy walking in on us…"

She clears her throat and an image of her giving that annoyed frown as her eyes sparkle float in front of me. It's quite sad that I tease her most times just to get that look.

"You wanted to ask me something," she huffs.

"Right," I drawl, pulling my mind from the gutter for a minute while I ask, "Let's quit our jobs and travel."

"Eh?"

I slip into the tub further so that the suds hit the bottom of my chin and answer her, "I don't want to deal with my family, so I propose that we, you and me, my little Peppermint Paddy, forgo our careers, abscond with Joyelle and sail around the world. We could saunter around the deck in bikinis drinking the best scotch we can find while working on our full body tans. What do you think?" I ask seriously.

Nora doesn't miss a beat and she demands, "What did she do now?" I wince at her less than impressed tone.

I sigh.

"Nothing yet, she's been giving Jen fits and I have that dinner on Thursday night, which I need to find a date for." My free hand rubs the creases on my forehead. "Honestly, I think I'm a bit cranky and fed up with it all."

"Nik, I know this isn't what you need, but I swear I will make that woman suffer is she doesn't stop." I listen to her shift around and know that I'm probably not going to like what she's about to say, "She's your family and while you won't find a person who thinks family is as important as I do, I'm willing to make an exception in this case."

"Nora, I know…"

"No, Nikki, you don't know," she snips at me and I frown a bit more. "Look at it this way, if it were Terry, carrying on and fussing, if he were taking every available opportunity to take pot shots at me, what would you do? How would that make you feel?"

My mouth opens and closes in a lame response to her questions.

"You'd confront him and tell him to fuck off…"

"I would," I admit, "but, Terry can't complicate our lives in the way Peggy Beaumont can."

"So what do we do? Tell me what you want me to do and I will, Nikki. I'm just tired of her getting to you."

The headache that was starting to subside begins anew and I huff. I don't have an answer for her. So I try to lighten the mood, "Run away with me?" I chew on my lower lip and just listen to her breathe.

"How about a more realistic option?" she finally responds.

I shrug. "I don't know."

"So, then we just sort of soldier on," she says and the defeat I hear in her words matches my mood.

"Yes, ma'am, I suppose we do." I could say we come clean at work and let the chips fall where they may, but…

I can't. I think that Nora's more ready for that than I am. I don't want to leave S.C.U. and I don't want her to either. As much as that would solve some of our problems, it won't make them all go away. I don't know what effect that would have on our colleagues and I know for damn sure Dan would catch holy hell.

"We have options, Nikki," Nora says gently, "They aren't the best, but…" she falters, "…things are different than they were when we first got together. I'm different. I think, that if you want…"

"No," I put a stop to her words, "for as much crap as I've given you, Nora," I shut my eyes and admit to her, "I'm not ready for those repercussions. Not being able to work with you would have me reconsidering my position at the N.O.P.D. all together. I love my job and I love you. I love working with you and it makes my job easier. It makes me better at my job."

"I know, Nikki, me too, but if Peggy presses this…"

"She hasn't yet…"

"But, that could change. You've been very careful around her…" she presses.

"I don't honestly think she would do something that could jeopardize the family," I try to reason.

"Do we?" she asks.

"Do we what?" I ask trying to follow her train of thought.

"Jeopardize the family? Are you and I together that much of a liability?" she replies.

"People could talk. With my daddy, I could honestly say that some would think we broke the rules because of my position, but sugga, we are not a liability. Our situation can present a challenge, but I don't think it's anything…"

"Don't lie, Nik."

I swallow and wonder how this conversation got so off track.

"Look, can we just…talk about this another time?" I nearly beg. I don't want this to be our conversation tonight. I wanted fun, playful, maybe a repeat of a few days ago when we relieved a bit of tension together.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, "we can argue about this another time." She gives me this short bark of harsh laughter and I shake my head. "Who you gonna take to the dinner?"

My lips purse in thought and I answer, "No clue. I was thinking I'd either drag Patrick or Bobby. What do you think?"

"Take Patrick. He's the house husband; maybe getting him out will be good."

"Good idea. I'll call him tomorrow. So," I say trying for another topic change, "are you alone?"

"Nikki…" she growls at me and then answers my question. God love her.


	4. Rope

Ch. 4 – Rope

I prop myself in the doorway and watch Lee at the head of his classroom. I know I'm on time, he said two-forty-five, but…

Kids are still around.

Jill stands behind me and I watch a few students wave in our direction. A quick glance over my shoulder and I see she's returning their greeting just as enthusiastically.

"Mr. Sherman, Mrs. Flemming and another lady are here," an awkward looking boy pipes up from the front.

"Ah," Lee spins around from the blackboard and I finally get a good look at him in his work attire. I can't believe Jill lets him wear a padded elbow corduroy jacket. I thought those were banned in the 70's. "Come in, come in," he waves us in and motions towards the front of the class.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to a very good friend of mine, Det. Nora Delaney of the New Orleans Police Department's Special Crimes Unit. Det. Delaney's in town visiting. What do we say?"

"Hello," they semi-shout in unison.

I manage a wave and a grin before my hands get jammed back in my pockets.

"Okay class, we have just enough time to embarrass our new friend," Lee claps his hands together and wiggles his eyebrows at me. "Anyone have questions for our visitor?"

Three hands shoot up in the air and I can't help the laugh.

Thank God, I'm decent with kids…

Most days.

Having Rashad around has helped a lot. Plus the babysitting for little Reyna that Chris and Pat have conned Nikki and me in to.

"Apr…" Lee points to a girl with long brown hair and bright brown eyes.

"Have you ever seen a dead body?" she blurts before Lee finishes her name.

"I have," I say and then point to the boy that informed Lee we were here. He hasn't taken his eyes off Jill since we've come in.

"Hi, I'm Nathaniel and do you know your cities recidivism rate and how does that impact your job?"

My right eyebrow lifts all on its own as the rest of the class gives off a collective groan.

"Come on, Nate. Is there a reason you're so lame? Just 'cause you've added Mrs. Flemming to your spank bank…" a kid from the back yells.

A blonde haired girl from the front pipes up, "Eww, Tyler, why do you have to be so gross? We all know Nate's become obsessed with crime and killers and whatever since last year when he found out Mrs. Flemming's partner is in the F.B.I., but seriously, you're just gross!"

"Nate," a girl behind him claps him on the shoulder, but her eyes cut to Jill apologetically, "She's gay, dude, and you're, like, a kid and she's so old enough to be your mom."

"Okay, okay, everyone," Lee finally calls a halt to the badgering. "If he's interested in law enforcement, the reason is unimportant, unless he's going to start breaking the law. Let's leave Mrs. Flemming alone and apologize to Nate."

There's a halfhearted mumbled apology from the group and Nate's face finally looks less like a tomato. I look at Jill who's doing a damn fine job of hiding her grin.

"The answer is around seventy-five percent, Nate," I finally answer the question.

He gives me a shy smile right before the bell rings.

It takes me more time to blink then it does for the kids to run from the class. Nate's the last one out the door offering a shy parting glance and wave before he disappears out the door.

"Oh my God!" Jill finally speaks, "That was fucking priceless."

"Jill! Language. Jesus woman, there are still kids around," Lee barks.

Jill huffs and hisses, "If they know what a 'spank bank' is I'm sure they've heard the word 'fuck' before, Lee. Remove the stick and by the way, I thought I got rid of that jacket?" Her arms fold over her chest and she taps her foot.

I step back, deciding to let them work it out themselves.

A smirk appears on his face as he shoves a large stack of papers in his satchel. "You may not have or I may have purchased another." He sticks his tongue out at her and moves towards the door.

I wince as she smacks him on the back of the head. Poor guy.

"I swear, Lee, how in the hell I dated such a fashion disaster and have remained friends with you for so long… clueless I tell you. I'm clueless!" Jill motions for me to follow and I listen to them bicker all the way out to our cars.

"I'll follow you back to your place," Jill tells him and I follow her back to her car.

We hop in and head towards Lee's apartment thankful that Linda and I could get Jill to agree to a night away. She needs it and truthfully, I love the woman, but if I had to look at that hospital room another night, I'm not sure there would have been a hospital left in the morning.

* * *

><p>"Hmmm," Jill purrs and I roll my head in her direction, "Nora, good call on staying in tonight," she raises her hand for a high five and I accommodate. "Lee, your music selection this evening is acceptable as well. Shirley Manson…hmm…I wouldn't kick that woman out bed."<p>

"Hell, yeah," Lee leans forward and manages a sloppy fist bump with his friend. "Their debut is still on my top ten list of favorite albums ever."

I plant my tongue in my cheek and shake my head. "You two are worse than teenagers," I admonish and point my beer bottle in their direction. I squint at the coffee table and count around nine empty bottles…

Huh, no wonder my face is numb.

Good beer too.

"Oh please, give me a fucking break Nor," Jill pokes me in the shoulder. "She's sexy as fuck and her voice…" Jill visibly shivers. "Auditorily orgasmic. Period. End of story."

"Is 'auditorily' even a word?" I ask instead of taking the bait.

"No clue," she shrugs.

"Nope," Lee answers, "but she just made it one and man, am I gonna feel this tomorrow. You're lucky tomorrow's Friday. This hangover's gonna be killer." He kills the rest of his beer and puts it in one of the empty holders of the six-pack. "We're also out of beer."

"You still have the Flor de Ca_ñ_a?" Jill asks as she polishes off her own bottle.

I look at mine and see it's just as empty.

Well, okay then.

Lee hoists himself up and disappears into the kitchen. A cupboard door opens and shuts before he rounds the corner with more alcohol in his hand. "Here we go," Lee sets a bottle of…I squint at the label, rum, down on the coffee table and three tumblers. "Just what the doc ordered for mind numbing bliss. Some of the best rum thirty bucks can buy."

"Yummy," Jill claps her hands together and licks her lips. "You done with that?" she asks me pointing to my empty bottle.

I hand it off and she dumps hers and mine in the remaining two slots on the last six-pack.

"You," she points to Lee, "continue to do a fine job of pouring. I'm gonna go toss these in the recycle bin." She manages to stand with relative grace, but fumbles slightly with the two packs of empty bottles. "Shit." I reach out and grab her elbow to steady her.

"You want help?" I ask not too sure she can make it to the kitchen and back without falling or running into something.

"Nope. I'm good." For added affect she makes a show of squaring her shoulders and strutting to the kitchen.

I shrug. She only wobbles once. I cock my head to the side and watch her retreat. I really can't complain about the view either.

Jill's in much better shape than I thought.

"That's my girl!" Lee crows as she makes her way back in and Lee hands her her drink. He gives me mine and they both plop back down on the couch.

"I can hold my liquor," Jill says indignantly.

I hold me free hand up. "Wasn't sayin' you couldn't. You just looked a little shaky there for a second."

"You should have seen her at her first runway show." Lee smirks from the opposite end of the couch. "Jilly was so wasted…"

"As were you and a third of the models were also stoned. How they managed…," she shrugs it off.

I quirk an eyebrow in interest, settle back against the arm of the couch and rest my feet in Jill's lap. "I sense a story. Fess up, Jill."

She rolls her eyes and elbows Lee in the ribs. "You just had to open up your big mouth. Asshole," she gripes before turning to me. "I brought asswipe here to my first runway show in New York. First everything really. It was the coveted Fashion Week in the city and I was booked pretty steady. The night before the first show, we went out and partied with a group of models that were on our floor. Shit faced. I tell you." She pokes my shin for emphasis and sips her rum. "So we're hammered and end up drinking pretty much straight through to the morning of my first appearance. Drunker than a skunk, I managed to get through the whole thing."

Lee rolls his eyes. "She's a horrible story teller. You left out the bits about you and that one blonde on the balcony of the club we were at."

Jill's face flushes and she shakes her head. "No way. I'm not telling that story. I wasn't really…" Her eyes narrow and she hisses, "I hate you sometimes."

My brows knit together and I ask, "Remind me again how you ended up in modeling?"

Jill shrugs, "I was walking around campus and was spotted by some photographer that was helping with an open casting call. One thing led to another and here I am. I wasn't in my right mind when I took the offer, but it's worked out."

Lee half snort-half snickers, "You were a damn basket case and who said you're in your right mind now?"

I snicker. Lee's got a point. "Had Ann left Virginia yet?" I ask trying to get some sense of a timeline.

Jill shakes her head. "It's so stupid. Like why did I wait so long? What the fuck was wrong with me?"

"You wouldn't listen…" Lee reminds her. "The fact that you hadn't looked at a guy after me should have given you enough…evidence. Stubborn. You're just stubborn."

"Can it, Sherman, or I'll tell Nora about the next day," Jill warns and Lee quickly quiets down.

A grin develops as I sip my drink. "When I get back, you two are gonna talk." I stand, a little shaky at first and amend, "I need to go call Nik, but I want the details."

"Yeah, yeah," Jill waves me away.

Lee isn't as kind, "If you rub one out, you're washing the sheets!"

"Yeah, don't leave our poor Lee here with the scent in the air. You'll give'im blue balls!"

My face reddens as I slam his bedroom door. They really are the most juvenile thirty-somethings I've ever met.

* * *

><p>"When are you coming home?" Jill asks as she tucks her free arm under the one that's bent holding the phone to her ear.<p>

Last night was a good reprieve, but man, the hangover this morning wasn't nearly as welcome as the numbness the night before.

"Annie," Jill warns, "You've been gone for a week. In case you forgot, you left me Friday and it's Friday, again," Jill less than gently reminds her wife.

I wince in sympathy for Ann. You can't control the length of the case. Not really and make sure that it's done right.

"I know," Jill sighs as I listen to the one sided conversation, "I just…I know, I know…Nora's been great," Jill brightens and winks at me. "Excellent cuddle partner as per usual. Although…I guess it won't hurt to tell you that I want a divorce. Nora and I are running away to Barbados."

I roll my eyes at her and decide it's best if I give her some privacy. Leaving her bedroom, I spot Linda in the living room and say, "Ann's on the phone. I need to go call Nikki. Be right back." I head out to the front porch and quietly shut the front door.

Flipping my phone open, I hit '2' and 'send.' The swing on the front porch is padded and comfortable as I sit down and wait for Nikki to pick up.

It takes three rings, "Beaumont."

"Detective," I reply and hear her giggle.

"Sugga, I was just tellin' Jen that if you didn't call me within the hour I was going to start suspecting things," she teases me.

I snort. "Yeah, well, according to Jill, her and Ann are getting a divorce right before she and I runaway to Barbados. You want to counter offer before I take her up on her's?"

"Hmm, how about you get your cute ass back down to the Big Easy and I remind you how much you love me?"

"Sold," I say.

"You are a pushover, Nora dear. So how is everything? Recovering from your night soaked in alcohol?" she asks, still slightly amused by my drunken call to her last night.

At least I stripped his sheets. He's lucky I even did that.

"Headache. I've been sucking down water like I usually do coffee. Not too bad really. What are you up to?" I wonder and start the swing in an easy arc, back and forth. My feet skid across the concrete porch.

"Jen and I are looking for an outfit for tomorrow's dinner"

"Wait, I thought that was last night?" My mouth turns down as I try to remember the details.

"It was, but if you remember what I told you last night, there was a busted water main in the venue's kitchen. We had to run interference and put out the two dozen fires…" I hear a loud cough in the background. Nikki amends, "Jen had to put out the two-dozen fires and reorganize everything for tomorrow night."

"I don't remember that at all," I admit shaking my head.

"Do you remember any of that conversation, sugga?" Nikki's tone is three shades improper and I blush.

"The highlights. So why a new dress?" I ask trying to change the subject. Jen's next to her and well…I'm not real comfortable around her yet.

She's okay most days.

Just not when I'm not there to keep an eye on her appreciative gaze of my partner.

"I want something different. We're at shop number two on Magazine."

"Oh dear Lord," I mumble and wipe my hand down my face. "Didn't you blow your wardrobe budget on that new dress and the matching shoes?"

"Yes, I did, but," she sing songs, "since you haven't spent your allotment, I thought I would for you."

I roll my eyes. Really, what else am I left with for a response?

"Patrick still going with you?" I wonder, hoping that he or Chris will accompany her still. I talked to Pat on Wednesday and that was still the plan, but things changed obviously.

"He is. I think he's more excited about going out on a Saturday night than I am," Nikki admits.

I smile thinking about my ten month old niece. Chris and Patrick started the adoption paperwork shortly after they moved into their home. She's been with us for the last four months and everyone's needed to adjust. "Yeah, Reyna's taken their social life and…"

"Made it non-existent," Nikki fills in for me. "Although, your mom's in hog heaven when she gets to watch her."

"Hey, at least we haven't gotten any more donor pamphlets or adoption applications," I remind her.

"She's happy when the boys get it together enough to manage a night out and she can watch her granddaughter," Nikki agrees. "Or if Chris needs to travel for work."

"I'm happy you won't be going alone. Tell Pat thank you for me?" I ask softly. I would have hated every second of it, but I would have gone with her.

"Will do sug. Now, I need to go, these dresses are not cooperating and I need to find something suitable. Love you, Nor."

"Love you too. Tell Jen I said hello," I say figuring I might as well earn a few brownie points for playing nice.

"I may," I hear the smirk in her voice before the line goes dead.

Yeah, she saw right through that one.


	5. A Heart Gone Deaf

Ch. 5 – A Heart Gone Deaf

The gritty guitar and drums drown out the vacuum as I run it over the living room carpet. Bopping my head, I sing along, "Sing me no hymns, when I get home, leave them with god, leave me alone," I shuffle step over the cord and swing the vacuum to the left edge of the living room, right where Mister likes to lay. I'm slightly off time as the singer picks up and I follow, "I will do as I feel needs to be done, to pay back what I owe, for all the blood and all the lost ones…"

I spin around and look up. I stifle the shriek. Charlie doesn't look close to threatening, especially with that smirk he's sporting. I shake my head and kill the vacuum first. I ignore him and dance my way over to the sound system I got for Nora last year and turn the volume down on one of my new favorite groups, Lucero.

"I didn't know you sang," Charlie says as the music quiets.

"I don't. At least not in public." I wink at him and round the couch to greet him properly. Pecking him on the cheek, I pull back and ask, "What brings our good doctor around on a Saturday afternoon?"

He motions me towards the kitchen and I follow noticing Mister huddling underneath the kitchen table. He absolutely hates the vacuum.

"I was hopin' to catch Nora and ask if she'd like to go fishin' tomorrow morning with Junior and me. Also, mama made some gumbo and told me in no uncertain terms that if I didn't bring you some, I'd be in the dog house." He points to a Tupperware bowl sitting on the kitchen counter.

I lick my lips. Charlotte's gumbo is to die for. "Well, send her my thanks, but…" I trial off as Mister finally finds his way from underneath the dining table and leaps up on Charlie. "Mister!"

"How ya doin' boy?" Charlie coos enthusiastically as he scratches behind the dog's ears.

Oh for the love of…I shake my head and decide to just let the two be. I swear Charlie likes Mister more than Nora and I combined. His son, Junior, seems to have taken a liking to him just as much. I move to put the gumbo in the fridge and talk over the drooling man, "Tell your wife thank you for the food. I'm afraid though, that Nora will have to take a rain check on the fishing."

Charlie looks up from this as I lean over the kitchen island and lace my fingers together in front of me. "Why?"

"She's in Virginia. Jill's dad's fallen ill and Ann is out of the country working a case…"

"Ah, well, shucks, Junior was lookin' forward to goin' with Nora. I suppose, in the interest of Jill's daddy, we can't take too much offense." I watch as he finally stops petting Mister and ambles over to the island to take a seat on one of the stools.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" I ask, attempting to turn back to the cupboard and fetch him something.

"No," he says stopping me, "thanks, but I wasn't intent on stayin' long. Just long enough to drop off the food and ask Nora about tomorrow morning. How long she gonna be gone?"

Running a hand through my hair, I shrug, "I'm hoping she won't be gone much longer, but with Ann gone, she's not fixing to leave."

He bobs his head. "And how has my second favorite detective been doing?" he asks, reaching across the cool granite to give my hand a squeeze. "Mister been behaving himself?"

"I'm fine. Work's been keepin' me busy enough." I grin at him and say, "Then Mister finds it his responsibility to take up Nora's side of the bed so…"

"You want to change the sheets every night?" He laughs knowing how much I hate having the dog hair get everywhere.

And Mister's hair does have a tendency to show up pretty much everywhere.

"It's not that bad. I have, maybe, run through all of our clean sheets," I admit a little sheepish. I'll just go buy more. I don't have time to do the actual laundry and I still need to make it over to the dry cleaners sometime today to pick up my last order. Maybe I'll gather the laundry and have them do that too.

Nora's not here, so it's not like she'll know. As much as she's stomped around about me sending our things to get laundered, this one time can't hurt.

"Well, if you need anything, you just give Ole Charlie a call and I'll come runnin'." He stands and I follow him to the back door. "Since Nora's not here, might I suggest you keep this locked up? I don't need to worry more than I already do about you two."

I roll my eyes.

"And speaking of," he leans into me and fidgets, "A little birdie was tellin' me they're going to start some…cursory audits on a few departments."

My eyebrows hike.

He licks his lips and continues, "Look, I'm not sure what exactly is going on. I just know that from what I heard, the brass'll be starting a fishing expedition sooner rather than later. You ladies need to be careful."

Great.

"Charlie, I…"

"Nikki, please. For as much as our lovely Parish wants us to toe the party line that we are a kinder, gentler division, the sad fact remains, we're still stuck in the good ole boys club with a slightly more humane façade." He grips my arm gently and gives it a good natured squeeze. "You two have been careful, you got enough friends on the force, but there's only so much we can do if the rest of the boys close ranks."

"We'll be fine, Charlie…" I croak.

"And what if the cat gets out of the bag? I ain't gonna be polite here Nik, you know there's a small, but noisy portion of your brethren that seem to take offense that such a blue blood mucks about with the common folk."

"They're the jealous few that can't seem to get it through their heads I'm good…"

"I won't argue none that they're jealous, but you two've also broken rules. They won't look kindly on that. I also ain't gonna say that you're not in the best department or that you and your partner seem to get some of the most visible cases…"

"Charlie, it's been that way since I came to the department more than six years ago. Those rumors have followed me, annoyingly so, since I started in uniform. Those won't go away," I insist and it's true.

"That may be, Nikki and it's not like I don't think you're damn good…I just can hear it, they'll spout off on how you think you're better and that nothin'll happen to you 'cause of your last name. When in reality, they'll probably just set out to make an example of you…" he licks his lips and his feet shuffle. I watch his jaw clench a few times before it finally relaxes and his eyes soften to their sweet twinkling hue, "I don't wanna see either ya'll get hurt. Mama'd have my hide if I didn't do my due diligence and protect two of the only work friends I've brought around that she actually likes."

"She likes Benny and Dom and his wife," I remind him and he has the good sense to agree.

"Yeah, but she's sweet on you two for some reason." He grins then and slings his arm over my shoulders. I lead us out to the courtyard as he reminds me, "Remember the first night I had you two over, Char just thought you two were the cutest thing."

"Nora's nervous fumbling helped that along, no?" I grin back and rest my head on his chest as he pulls me into a hug.

"Okay, I've said enough. I just want you two to be on the lookout." He releases the half hug and I watch him scurry away.

He disappears around a corner and I rub my hand across my forehead.

Fucking perfect.

* * *

><p>"So," Patrick leans into me as I slip my arm through his and whispers, "are we in or out and proud this fine evening?"<p>

I look up into playful green eyes and have to remind myself that they belong to Patrick not Nora. Regardless of how similar they look.

I also have to remind myself that, with Charlie's warning this afternoon, I need to tread lighter than normal. It's not as if Nora and I haven't discussed coming out at work. There are a small handful of people that know…

I've just been reluctant to rock that boat.

It could be good. We could not be looking over our shoulders at every turn. After six years, I can't say it's not's gotten a tad bit tiresome.

It just that…

The cons, by and large, outweigh the pros. There would be an investigation into every case we've worked and closed together. The department as a whole would be put under a microscope. Dan's ability to do his job would be questioned. Some type of corrective action and reprimand would be in order for him, myself and Nora. Then we have to consider the scandal it could cause merely because of who I am.

We didn't even bother considering the interpersonal relationships that would be damaged at work. While there have been a few out officers, it's still a very…touchy subject.

If Nora wants to be anything more than a detective than her upward mobility inside the department would be hindered.

There's no way to plan for any of that.

Nothing short of one of us stepping down and leaving the force, but even then…it won't guarantee safety for either of us.

I give off a small huff, but say through a smile, "We are out and proud. No mention of Nora though, please?"

"Of course," he agrees and pats my hand holding on to his arm. "This just means I can gush about my daughter more."

I laugh and shake my head as we enter the foyer and are greeted by Jen. "Nikki," she breathes a sigh of relief. "Give me one second." She motions for a man standing off to our right to take the clipboard from her and attaches herself to my free side, steering us out of the foot traffic of arriving guests.

She turns to face Patrick and I smiling. "Patrick, I didn't know you cleaned up so well," she appraises him in his dress blues. I had questioned him when he picked me up.

His response to my question is the exact same to Jen, "Once a Marine, always a Marine, Jennifer. I'm a decorated retired veteran."

She beams at this and says, "Well, then far be it from me to question a good looking man in uniform." She turns her attention to me and the black and white off the shoulder number I picked up with her yesterday. "I still love this on you."

"You don't look too shabby yourself, Jen." I run my hand down her arm and offer her squeeze. She's in red. Almost always.

It works for her.

"Your aunt and two cousins are here. I'm not sure what kind of trouble they'll be up to, but just be warned. You two are at the head table. The other Beaumonts are going to be to your left," she tells us and looks over our shoulder and the front door.

We look back and see the man working the door getting into a heated, but hushed conversation. Oh, boy.

"And with that, I'm sorry to toss you in here Nikki, but I think we prepped enough last night. I need to go handle this."

"Go," Patrick says, "I'll take care of our delicate debutante."

I give him a swat on the chest, right next to his medals, for that comment.

"Come on, Ms. Beaumont. Let's go get you a drink and a stiff club soda for me."

"No booze?" I wonder as I lead him through to the back where everything is being held.

"Not in uniform. I'm also your escort for tonight. Besides not being able to drink in uniform, I'm here for you. You don't need a flaming queen getting plastered as your date. Also, my sister would _kill_ me," he adds.

I can't argue. "Well, then, let's go get the liquor flowing this way. I'm going to need something soon."

We find the bar and wait patiently in the short line.

"Nicolette?" I hear my cousin's voice, Aimee, behind me.

And here we go. I spin around and head Aimee off as I give Patrick a little shove forward.

We give the standard air kisses to the cheek. She hates smearing her lipstick and I hate wiping it off. "Mother said you were going to be here. She's also been looking for you."

I plaster a manufactured smile across my lips and slip into my role. "I would not have missed this for the world. It is after all for the department. Jen and Tia have worked hard to make this happen."

"Of course. Well, I will let my mother know I've seen you and…" she trails off as Patrick slides up next to me handing off the bourbon I requested. "And who is your date?" she asks, failing miserably at masking her leer.

Patrick smiles warmly and offers his hand, "Lt. Col. Patrick Delaney, retired," he introduces himself before I have a chance to speak.

Aimee picks up on the last name and her eyes narrow while I step up, "Patrick, I'd like you to meet my cousin Aimee Tucker. Aimee, this is Nora's brother, Patrick."

Her movements are smooth when she takes his hand in greeting and says, "What a lovely beard, Nikki. I'm sure mother will be delighted."

"Oh Mrs. Tucker, I haven't had a beard in years. My husband doesn't like them, but thank you anyhow," Patrick responds immediately.

There have been few times where I can remember ever feeling my jaw drop and Patrick almost succeeds tonight. My cousin, however, manages to turn a lovely shade of red.

"Aimee, dear, while red certainly suits you, your current color is not doing much for the dress," I add my two cents and sip my drink to hide my smirk as she stomps off.

"Now that," Patrick leans in, his lips brush my ear, "was fun. Can we do it again? Huh, Nik?"

"You'll get your chance, Delaney," I coo as I take his hand and lead him through a small sea of people. The back courtyard is done wonderfully. The decorator that Tia hired did a wonderful job. I didn't know the estate could look so inviting. I make a note to find her and thank her for all the work she's done.

I spot our table and begin leading us that way, stopping every few feet to say hello and introduce Patrick. We are nearly home free when I hear my aunt beckon from next to her table.

My smile falters when I turn her way and see two people that I wish I hadn't, Deputy Chiefs Phillip Rosnick and Richard Dveris, talking to my aunt.

"Nikki, dear," my aunt beams, "it's so good to see you and…"

"Aunt Peggy, Sirs, this is Lt. Col. Patrick Delaney," I introduce them all, "Patrick, this is Dep. Chief Ronsnick of our Public Integrity Bureau and Dep. Chief Dveris of our Investigative and Support Bureau and not to be out done, my aunt, Peggy Beaumont."

"Nice to meet you all," Patrick smiles.

My aunt masks the surprise quite well as she starts up, "How fortunate you are Nikki, to be accompanied by such a handsome man this evening."

I smile. "Well, my first date fell through, but Patrick was a dear and I was able to pry him away this evening."

"From whom?" my aunt asks.

I look at Patrick and signal for him to answer as he sees fit. I've never hid my sexuality in general. Since joining S.C.U., that's changed some, but tonight, I meant what I said. There's also no reason this needs to implicate Nora.

Patrick's head tilts slightly, but he answers, "The old ball and chain and our daughter. A brief leave from the home base this evening to escort your wonderful niece."

"How nice," Rosnick chuckles.

Dveris agrees, "Don't take this the wrong way detective, but there's no way my wife would let me out on a Saturday night with such a stunning woman such as you on my arm."

"Thank you," I say honestly.

"Well, Chris doesn't tend to get jealous much anyhow," Patrick follows up, "Although I agree, Nikki, if I didn't say it before, you do look absolutely dazzling."

"How long have you been married Patrick?" my aunt asks looking at the way we're holding on to each other.

"Well, legally, I'm afraid the most I'm able to claim is domestic partner, but to me, Christopher and I have been married in every other sense of the word just shy of twelve years," he delivers it so well that it takes the three other people involved to notice.

Eyebrows rise and Peggy's eyes narrow ever so slightly at that bit of news. She covers it well and clears her throat for a topic change. "How nice. Richard, Phillip and I were just discussing some new initiatives the department will be doing, weren't we gentleman?"

"We were," Rosnick answers as my aunt and looks to me. "In fact, Richard here and a hand-picked task force will be visiting S.C.U. in the coming months."

"And what do we owe the pleasure?" I direct my question to Dveris.

"We're just making the cursory rounds for clean up. You know, make sure that everything is being run to the department's standards," Dveris answers as he takes a small step away from Patrick and me.

"I think it's wonderful," Peggy interjects, "Why it's so important that we all maintain a certain level of vigilance and be reminded that we must preserve certain moral and ethical standards." She puts her hand on Dveris' forearm. "Was it you Richard that was telling me of the two officers that were reprimanded or demoted for inappropriate liaisons in their department?"

Dveris clears his throat and answers the question, "They had been involved, intimately, and it was brought to our attention. A shame, really. While I understand it to a degree. Public perception can be a factor."

"Oh, come off it Rick," Rosnick chides, "We know it happens all the time. The problem is that we're already trying to combat the "blue wall" and public perception. When things like that happen, it just makes the public think we close ranks to protect our own. The fraternization policy is in place for a reason."

"Couldn't you have put a spin on it, for the public of course?" Patrick asks. "I mean if it is done right…everyone loves a good love story."

"We were going to when it came to a head, but it was a supervisor and a subordinate," Dveris answers. "We will generally turn a blind eye when it's among similar ranks, but for our leaders," he shakes his head, "I can't condone it."

"Agreed," Rosnick says, "I think the best advice I've ever gotten at those blasted conferences was from a human resource lawyer. Don't get your honey, where you make your money."

We all chuckle, but Peggy smiles, "No truer words, gentleman, no truer words."

I laugh and Jen manages to catch my eye. "Oh, Sirs, Aunt Peggy, it looks like we're about to start. If you'll excuse us?" I manage as gracious an exit as possible with Patrick on my arm.

"That was worse than swimming in shark infested waters," Patrick whispers as he takes my empty glass. "I'm going to go get you a refill. Save my seat." He pecks my cheek and I meet Jen towards the end of the stage.

Gnawing my lower lip, I can't help but pray this night will come to a very quick end.

* * *

><p>"Beaumont," I answer, dancing around the kitchen island trying to put my boot on.<p>

"Stay home," Dan grumps. I stop hopping up and down.

"What?" I ask, not too sure I heard him right.

"I said, stay home. Someone'll be by shortly to pick you up." He huffs and amends, "I sent a uni to take you to your new assignment."

My face sours and I can't stop the next words even if I'd wanted to, "What the fuck, lieutenant?"

"Nikki," he warns, "I don't know. I got a call from our good Commander Bournes stating that you'd been asked for and that you needed to be at the airport within the hour. I'm just the messenger right now. It's not like I have any say in what happens to my detectives. Hell one's out on leave, one's being pulled from under me and put on God knows what…"

"And the other four are damn near impossible," I finish off for him.

"Well, Furlan's pretty manageable. Barrett ain't so bad and Armstrong can't be roped in to save my life," my boss snips.

"You got Georgia," I remind him.

"She's been in a snit since Nora left. I'd rather not deal with her." I feel for Dan. Most days. "Oh, and lest we forget, our unit's up on training rotation."

"Ah, hell. Tell me you're kidding?" I whine.

Like we need a bunch of wet behind the ear wannabes traipsing through our department. "Dan, really, can't we be taken out of that? Our unit gets hit with some of the most difficult cases and having rookies around only makes all of our jobs more difficult."

"I've tried that argument. It backfired," he laments and I sigh.

A sharp rap at my front door garners my attention and I say, "I think my escort is here."

"Okay, I'll see you when I see you and if you talk to Nora before I do, which since we know you will, tell her to call me." Dan doesn't bother with any other closing pleasantries before disconnecting.

I swing the door open and see a fresh faced kid in an ill-fitting uniform on my doorstep. "Det. Beaumont? I'm Ofc. Piquette. Lt. Harney asked that I escort you to the drop point."

I sigh. Great. I'll have to call Darius on my way over. I hold up a finger and say, "Just got off the phone with the man. Give me one sec. and I'll be right out." I don't even bother with other chitchat before I shut the door in his face and run back to the kitchen to grab my purse, check the food and water bowls and grab my holstered gun.

"Behave Mister. Reba, you're in charge," I holler over my shoulder as I open the door. Piquette scoots back as I lock up and spin to him. I shoo him along and say, "Let's get a move on, young man."

"Right," he picks up speed and heads toward the cruiser parked next to Bruce and Frankie. I slide in the front and let him drive.

I buckle up as he takes off towards the airport. I try calling Darius, but no luck. I try for Patrick and get voicemail as well. Lastly, I call Bobby. I didn't want to bug him with work and all; he's been so busy the past few weeks.

As I disconnect from his voicemail with instructions and a promise to call him later, I see we've made it to Louis Armstrong Airport in short order. We head towards the smaller, private runways and my curiosity deepens.

As we're waved through three different security points, I see a small leer jet parked in front of a hanger. The cabin door is open and someone is sitting on the steps of the plane.

Paquette pulls up as the person sitting stands.

My mouth drops open.

Ann opens my door and ushers me out.

I look her and the wane smile she's wearing over. There's a large stitched gash in her forehead. Tape runs across a very broken nose and under black and blue eyes.

"Do I ask?" are the first words out of my mouth.

Jill's gonna throw a conniption.

She shakes her head gingerly and says, "It's good to see you too, Nikki. Come on," her hand goes to the small of my back steering me aboard, "I'll fill you in on the way."


	6. Red Letter Day

Ch. 6 – Red Letter Day

"Nora," Linda says my name with a slight southern drawl, "Why I love you like you were my own, you and Jill are about as useless in the kitchen as tits on a boar hog." She slips the spatula from my fingers, bumps me with her hip and takes over cooking the eggs and bacon.

"Hey," I huff, but decide to leave her to it. I'd rather let her cook anyhow. It's not one of my favorite duties.

"Hush, and go check on my husband and daughter," she orders.

I know better than to argue with the woman so I raise my hands and skitter from the kitchen only to run in to Jill coming down the hallway, sporting cut-off jean shorts and a worn Nashville Pussy t-shirt, declaring, 'In Lust We Trust'. I roll my eyes and she shoots me a grin. "He just fell back asleep," she whispers.

I nod and we slip into the living room only to collapse on the couch together. Her head nestles into the crook of my shoulder as I wrap my arms around her. "At least he got to come home," I remind her and peck the top of her head.

Barring any major infections, the bypass surgery was a success and his immune system kicked in two days ago. We have instructions from the doctor about nothing but rest for the man so I'm taking it as a good thing.

I think Jill and Linda were glowing when we left the hospital this morning while John was being wheeled out by a jaunty Lee in front of them.

"Yeah," she yawns, "Mom'll be able to sleep and I might even let us go back to the house for a decent night's sleep."

I shrug. "It really hasn't been that bad. Now granted, I haven't slept in a twin bed since I was in high school, but…" I give her shoulders a squeeze, "Just count your blessings I like to be used as a pillow."

She smiles up at me and pecks my cheek. "I'd promise you my first born, but…"

I quirk an eyebrow down at her and she giggles. "You and Ann have been talking about that?"

She shakes her head emphatically and scrunches her face. "So not my thing. I can't keep a fish alive or a house plant."

"Yeah, but what about Ann?" I ask. Ann's never showed much interest in kids so I can't imagine she'd want children.

Jill's lips purse and she shrugs. "It's kind of hard to say. She'll make comments about how neat it would be to see a little me running around. Between us, I think she has a thing for the glasses I wore in grade school, but then I say that having a little her running around with her brown mop and bright blues would be cuter. She shuts up pretty fast after that."

"Hmm," I hum, not too sure what to make of that. In fact, I'm a little too preoccupied by Jill's disclosure that I only hear the word 'kids' and I ask, "Huh?"

Rolling her eyes, she pokes my side and asks again, "What about you and Nikki?"

"Not even a topic of discussion," I say firmly.

"Even with all your mom's pushing?" she asks knowing full well some of the stunts my mom's pulled in the past. Sperm donor pamphlets, guerilla style doctor appointments, adoption paperwork…she's finally calmed down a little over the past few years. More so recently because of Patrick's and Chris' daughter.

"She's quieted down some, thank God." I plant my tongue in my cheek, tensing up.

"What?" Jill asks, shifting up and propping an elbow on the back of the couch. "You want kids?"

I shake my head, nowhere near ready to open up that can and sigh. "You know that Nik's family's been giving her a hard time?" Seeing the nod, I continue, "Well, I just get the sense that they're…I dunno. They're fucking with her…"

"Language," Linda chides from the entryway to the living room. "And breakfast is ready."

"They're messing with her," I correct myself as Jill and I stand, carrying the conversation through the hallway and in to the kitchen where Linda's set the small table up with our food. "Thank you," I say to her. She just smiles a version of a grin I've seen Jill use and I continue, "So," I sit down and tug at my lower lip, "Coming out at work seems to be the only thing I can think of, I've told her I'm ready, but she said no."

Mother and daughter give me wide eyes. They know that this has been an issue with Nikki and me. I've bitched enough. Nikki's bitched enough.

"Why?" Jill asks.

Why what?

Why'd I offer?

Why'd she decline?

I go with the question I can answer, "I offered because if that bi…woman is intent on causing Nikki grief, the only thing she has to hold over her head is me. Her relationship with me. And the problems that could cause at work." I shrug and take a bite of egg. After swallowing, I finish, "I figure, let's take away the power she has and either she starts acting right or stops talking to Nikki altogether."

Around a mouth full of food, Jill manages a graceless, "Won't that cause a shit load of problems for you two?"

I don't even see Linda move, but I hear the smack and squeak from Jill. "First, no talking with your mouthful and two watch your language, Jillian Lee. I'm sure I can find a nice dirty bar of soap for that mouth." Linda jabs her fork at her daughter for added emphasis.

Jill just rubs her arm and then opens her mouth to show off her half-full mouth.

"Oh dear Lord, give me strength," her mother pleads, shielding her face with her hand and shaking her head. "You'd think a pack of wolves raised her."

Jill winks at me and smiles triumphantly, mouth firmly closed.

I clear my throat and finally answer, "Yeah. I'd need to talk with Dan, Benny and Dom. Give them a heads up. Nikki and I would do a formal allocution and from there…" I hold my hands up. "It could be as easy as that with nothing serious happening, we could be transferred or lose our jobs."

"And your coworkers?" Linda asks at the same time as Jill asks, "You're willing to risk your job?"

I decide Linda should be answered first, "Some know and couldn't care less. Some don't and I don't care what they have to say. As for my job…she's more important. I don't want to throw it all away, but if it comes down to it, it's not even a contest."

Both women beam proudly at my admission and I have the good sense to duck my head to try and hide the blush.

I've thought about our situation a lot. Over six years you tend to analyze and reanalyze and over analyze. After everything, the only thing I've come to is that Nikki was worth the risk years ago and she'll always be worth it.

I just don't know what's holding her back now.

* * *

><p>"Why Sugga, those might be the most romantic words you've ever uttered in my presence," I hear a voice behind me speak and my head whips around. Nikki's propped in the frame of the backdoor.<p>

"Nikki!" Jill squeals and goes to rush my lover, but Nikki holds her off at arm's length.

"Down girl," Nikki smiles and backs Jill up, "I've brought someone you want to see more." Nikki enters and trailing behind her, Ann comes shuffling in.

It takes the three of us a second to notice Ann's face and then we're all speaking at once, "Are you okay?"

"Baby, what happened?"

"Ann Louise Flemming, you owe us an explanation right this second," Linda manages above the questions of concern Jill and I get in.

I, at some point, got up from my seat and only now realize I have a death grip on Ann's right arm while Jill has one on her left. Ann is prepared for pretty much everything, but Nikki swoops in and comes between Jill, Linda and me. "Give the woman some room and Linda breakfast smells delicious."

"There's enough for you two. Now sit down and start talking Ann Louise," Linda's tone leaves no room for argument or stalling.

Nikki turns to the stove with two empty plates she grabs from the dish rack. Jill already has two chairs added to the table and sits down next to her wife. Ann's unfortunate enough sit between me and her wife, who inspects her battered face.

"Luce and I were running through Harrod's after our unsub. They darted through a sporting goods store and he felt it would be interesting to see what kind of impression a snowboard would make on someone's face." Ann points to the mess that is the upper half of her face and shrugs. "I was the guinea pig."

"So is this why I didn't hear from you for three days?" Jill clips, eyes narrowed.

Oh. Boy.

I know that look.

I scoot back from them and think about the first time I saw that look. At a bar in the Quarter, me, Jill, Ann and Casey were out having a good time when this perky blonde bimbo wouldn't leave Ann alone.

It actually bordered on harassment. The last straw was the bimbo pulled Ann away from Jill and shoved her head in Ann's chest.

The bimbo left with a more than likely permanent limp and a missing tooth.

"Well, uhm," Ann stalls licking her lips, "I was at the hospital and begged John, Lucy and Travis not to call. I was fine. Sore and had a hard time talking. But," Ann smiles and plays with Jill's wedding band, "If it makes you feel any better, the man had to be taken out on a stretcher. John put him through double glass doors."

The narrowed eyes become slits.

"John's in trouble when I see him," is all Jill says.

"So, nothing else?" Linda asks as she gathers the plates and puts them in the sink.

"Nope, John also has me going to a plastic surgeon friend of Becca's to check on my nose and the stitches in my face so, on that, I'm all taken care of." Ann tries to smile encouragingly at her wife, but the response is less than stellar. Sighing, she motions for Jill to stand. "Come on."

I watch Jill follow her wife out the backdoor. Nikki and I wince as the garage door slams shut.

"I'm going to check on John. You two behave out here," Linda warns pointing between Nikki and me.

I look to Nikki propped back against the kitchen sink, sipping on a cup of coffee.

"So," I say as Linda disappears.

"Jill going to kill Ann? Should we be worried?" Nikki asks setting the cup of coffee on the counter and sauntering up to me. Her legs surround mine, lowering herself in my lap to straddle me on the chair. Automatically, my hands grab her hips to help support her as her arms rest on my shoulders, linking her fingers behind my neck.

"They'll live," I rethink my statement as I hear a 'Goddamnit, Ann!' and amend, "I'm pretty sure they'll live. But I'd like to know what you're doing here." I peck the tip of her nose earning me a smile from my partner.

"John thought it'd be good for Ann to have back up, so he pulled some strings with a buddy from the N.S.A. and Ann had me escorted to the airport for pick up. Dan and the rest of the department think I've been collared into working for the Feds," Nikki answers.

I rest my forehead against hers and breathe her in. I should be annoyed that Ann and John did that. It's not fair to our team.

Our lips meet.

I part mine accepting her questing tongue, I feel a rightness settle in the pit of my stomach and a pressure ease from my chest.

Screw indignation. Overrated anyhow.

* * *

><p>I stretch on our bed at Ann and Jill's house. While I didn't mind the twin, this one is far more comfortable. A few of my vertebrae pop when my fingertips graze the headboard. Sighing, I roll to my right and prop my head in my hands waiting on Nikki to finish up in the bathroom.<p>

I look around our room, the designated space Ann insisted that I get for visits up here and grin. Jill and her kept it pretty simple and I'm glad they did. The room's done in dark oak and shades of green. It's also positioned the furthest away from the entrance to the house and far enough away from the master bedroom that Nikki and I don't have to be too quiet.

The idea that the girls insisted we come here for tonight was a great suggestion. Big bed, big room and Nikki next to me. Can't lose. Linda and John's house is nice for a family of three, but with six grown adults…

Crowded kind of covered it and that's not even taking into consideration Lee popping over when he has the time.

"You know Jill better than me," Nikki says sauntering out from the bathroom. She motions me to sit up and asks, "She's not going to kill anyone, is she?"

I shake my head and let her position me towards the center of the bed Indian style. She crawls up the mattress, into my lap and position herself so that her knees are braced on the outside of my thighs. Towering above me, she runs her fingers through my hair lightly scratching my scalp as her fingers work backwards.

I blink and look up at her smiling down at me. "Hi," I say, leaning up, kissing the underside of her jaw.

"Hmm, hello to you too," she purrs as my lips work their way down her slender neck, nibbling at the muscle corded underneath the soft skin I find.

"I missed you," I mumble. I pull her tank top down and pepper her chest with kisses swooping around to begin my assent up the opposite side of her neck. Her hands bunch in my hair and I grin.

"Mmiissssedd y-you too," she stammers as I nip at her collarbone.

She pulls me away from my assault on her neck and nibbles my bottom lip. Her lips cover my own. The familiar, heady haze they bring flood the little bit of coherency I have. I opt to feel her instead. How her body presses into mine, the slow grind of her hips against my body. Even the lingering taste of her toothpaste mixed with pure Nikki excites me.

She pulls back from me, allowing us both a moment to catch our breaths. It finally registers just how warm it's gotten in here since she came out of the restroom. "I think we're over dressed," I murmur against her lips. She nods, pulling away from me to pull the tank top she's wearing over head.

I mirror her actions and am quickly enamored with the site in front of me. Unable to resist, I lean forward and press my face in the valley of her breasts and turn my head, laying a series of wet kisses to the side and around her right breast to gather her nipple in my mouth.

Her hands find purchase in my hair once again as I lave attention to the sweet, pebbled flesh in my mouth, alternating between flicking and nibbling it before sucking on it hard enough to make her hips buck.

She came out in a cute pair of boy shorts.

They aren't near robust enough to mask her arousal dampening the crotch.

I smile, releasing the right nipple to work my way across to her left, offering it the same attention. She moans and hisses, "Nora," into my hair. Her cheek rests atop my head. Encouraging the slow grinding rhythm of her hips, I dig my nails in to her soft curves to urge her along. My other hand rakes down her back, scraping the flesh and kneading the small of her back.

I pull her back, cupping her neck in my hands as I lean forward and lay a series of sloppy kisses down the center of her breasts and stomach. I can't decide if I want to taste her first or not. The idea of running my tongue through, around and in her sends a succession of shocks to my needful center.

I know one thing, "You need to get rid of the shorts, baby," I plead. Her hips stop moving and she leans up on her knees. I take the shorts down part way before she sits down on my lap. I manage to get them off her one leg at a time. The flimsy material is tossed over my shoulder to the floor. "I don't even know why you bothered."

She chuckles as she resumes her original position of half kneeling, half sitting on me. She slides her center down my tummy and I groan, "Fuck."

"Don't mind if we do," she laughs at me and pulls my head back to capture my lips.

Her hips start in earnest as our tongues slide together.

Oh, just fuck me.

I can't…

I wrap my left hand around her hips and hold on to her. My lower half finds a rhythm to match hers.

Breaking away, she keens, "Please, Nora, I need…"

She doesn't need to finish that thought as I nod and snake my free hand between us. My middle and index become a team and glide through her center. I toy with her clit, rubbing the swollen bundle. She gasps into my mouth and bites down on my lower lip.

I need to be…

Two fingers find her opening, press inside and curl up. Thankfully, I don't need to move my hand much when she begins to ride my fingers.

"More," she gasps, shuddering as her body arcs back leaving me to let my mouth work over her beautiful chest.

I slip my ring finger in with my index and middle, stretching her a little wider. She growls a half intelligible, "Yes," before she starts a firmer pace. She pulls my fingers in deeper with each downward thrust of her hips and I stretch my thumb back to toy with her clit. I hit the swollen, twitching bundle when she jerks down on my hand.

"Fuck, yes," she hisses and I groan around a mouthful of her breast.

She's so close and all I want to do is send her crashing. I plead, "Cum for me baby, please."

It's like magic. All it takes is that little bit of encouragement from me. Nikki leans forward to plunder my mouth. Her hips jerk on my hand while my thumb grinds into her clit. She clamps down around my fingers, taking me in well passed the third knuckle. I hang on, riding out her orgasm.

The coppery taste of blood tickles over my tongue, I'm not sure if it's hers or mine.

Wrenching her mouth away from me, she buries her face into the crook of my neck as the last few ripples of her release ease and we still. The blood rushes through, pounding in my ears, but it can't drown out our ragged breaths or the steady thump of Nikki's racing heart.

I kiss the side of her head and mumble, "I love you, Nikki."

She nods, kissing my neck in response. I'll allow her a few minutes to recover, but this is far from over. After a few moments of respite, she realizes what I'm planning as I twist us around and lay her on her back.

"I'm not done with you yet, Ms. Beaumont," I grin down at her, lick my lips and laugh as her eyes go wide.


	7. Everyready

Ch. 7 – Eveready

"Harney," Dan barks as the fourth ring ends.

I grin around the coffee cup pressed to my lips before setting it on the counter. "Well, don't you just sound like a chipper little worker bee this fine morning," I razz him.

"Nikki," he warns while I grab my coffee cup and move to the living room.

The house is quiet this Tuesday morning, with Ann and Jill at her parents' house and Nora still passed out, I feel okay giving Dan the heads up he needs.

"Why, lieu, I just wanted to say good morning to you and check-in." Settling on to the living room couch, I continue, "I assume you got the paperwork Dir. Roeffy sent over to you?"

"I did. Should I even ask why you're on this?" A smile tugs at my lips over his natural curiosity. Thank God Ann and John came up with a plausible cover story.

I would usually be adverse to the level of deceit that they've managed with this whole charade, but…

I can't be mad. Too much has gone on and it's where I need to be. They're doing us a kindness by protecting me with this cover.

"I'll fill you in when I get back. I did want to let you know that I talked to Nora and it looks like that she should be back Monday." Licking my lips, I sip my coffee and wait on a response.

"Sweet Jesus. I think that prayer I remembered last night actually worked. How's things her way? I left her a voicemail, but I figured that with everything, I may get a call back in two days." My ear quirks as I hear chatter in the background.

My guess is that he's moving through the pen and into his office.

"She's doing okay. With any luck, I'll be back in town on Saturday. Do you want me to come in or just stick to the schedule?" I ask hoping that he tells me to stick to the schedule. A weekend at home with Nora wouldn't be a bad thing.

We'll turn our phones off. Stock up the fridge and hide the cars somewhere so no one can tell we're home…

If she attempts to put on clothes, I'll just cuff her to the bed.

"Uh, I think we're okay. Dom and Benny busted up the assault/murder that we pulled from the Fourth. The other four cases aren't going anywhere and I think the four of them are okay to handle it. I've invoked an emergency shut off of the rotation until you two get back. Georgia and Jesse are right where they like it as are Dom and Benny."

"Really?" I sweetly ask. I mean he can say what he wants and deny it until he's blue in the face, but I know for a fact that that ridiculous rotating schedule was done more for Nora and me than for anything the Brass had cooked up…

Which reminds me, "Actually, there's something else that I need to talk to you about."

"What?" he asks as I hear a door shut.

"We'll be getting a visit by a fishing team in the next month or so. Dveris is spearheading a taskforce that will be going from department to department and doing, for lack of a better word, audits on personnel and procedure."

"Fuck me," he gripes and I wince.

Licking my lips, I pluck up enough courage to say the rest, "Look, we've kept it pretty tight, but my aunt kicked a hornet's nest at the function on Saturday night. She's been more than a challenge over the past two years or so and Nora's about fed up with it." I set my cup on the coffee table. "Nora's been talking about coming out at work."

"She what?" The surprise in his voice matches my own when she first brought it up a few months back.

"She's been talking about it for a while now, Dan. As happy as it makes me that she's…ready, I've been putting her off. I'm not sure she's thought through what this could mean for the department…for you," I say honestly.

"What are they gonna do, Nikki? Fire me? Move me?" He groans.

"Dan, think about this. We've been together six years. Are you going to tell me they won't question your abilities when you, in the past six years playing part and parcel to our cover up, feign ignorance?"

"I…well, shit, Nikki," he grumps and I can picture him slumped back in his office chair looking like a pouty teenager.

"Look, I just wanted to give you a heads up. I'm working on something that may make this mess we've buried ourselves in a bit easier to get out of," I inform him in the vaguest of possible ways.

"Do I bother asking?" he wonders.

"Not yet," I cut him off before he even has a chance to get that thought rolling. "I'll fill you in more when I have a better time frame. Until then, sit tight, boss."

"You know it's never a good sign when you call me 'boss' right?"

I shrug. He's right.

But there isn't anything I can do. I need to protect him. I need to protect Nora when all this comes out and I can't do a damn thing until Jen and the union rep I've sworn to secrecy get back to me.

"I'll let this go for now, Nikki, but when you get back…" he concedes.

"I promise, we'll have a heart to heart when I get back," I vow, knowing that barring me getting killed he'll make sure it will happen.

"With or without our girl?" he wonders.

Sometimes, some days, he's way too annoying to be my boss.

"Without…"

"You think that's smart? You know how she can be?" Dan does make a good point.

"Look here," I huff, "regardless of how she may or may not be, I have my priorities. Right now, until I can be sure, you say diddly and squat and we leave our green eyed beauty out of it."

"I…"

"Dan, I don't want her to get hurt here." I shut my eyes and rest my head back on the couch. "Please, just let me make sure she's safe and until then, you continue to do what you've done for the past eight or so years and watch your partners back."

"Well, you know I was just keeping it warm for you," he teases me, effectively breaking the tension.

I laugh, "Yeah, you did a fine job and it's quite a back to watch."

"You mean backside, don't you?" A snicker punctuates the statement.

I give in, "It is indeed. Why you should have seen her last night, kneeling on the bed…"

"You saw her last night?" he asks.

OH…

Son of a…

Me and my big mouth.

"A girl needs a fantasy or two to keep warm when she's away from her personal heater," I try to cover up.

"Uh huh," he sounds less than convinced. "I'll make sure we continue this later, but right now, I have four detectives that need some guidance or a swift quick. Call me later."

The line goes dead and I groan.

Fuck me.

* * *

><p>"Luuuucccccyyyyy! We're home!" Jill shouts as she and Ann enter their home.<p>

Nora doesn't even stir from her spot on top of me. The only thing I manage to do is lift my head from the back of the couch and wave.

Jill is all smiles…that's good.

I'll just assume they worked most of it out and Ann is in the dog house for the foreseeable future. Of course, if Nora had done what Ann had, Mister's spot in the bed next to me would not be threatened for at least a week.

"Pipe down," Nora greets, "I'm relaxing."

Duel snickers are their reply as the girls come around the couch and plop themselves on the love seat to our right.

"Linda kicked us out," Ann finally speaks, "She was all, 'You weren't nearly quiet enough last night. Go home so I can still think you two are as pure as the driven snow.'" She wraps her arms around her wife's waist and gently rests her head on Jill's chest.

"Oh boy," Nora mumbles.

"I told you, you should have used the pillow to muffle your moans," Jill teases her wife and pecks the top of her head.

"Hmm, and the 'Yes, God!'s repeatedly shouted by you didn't have anything to do with it?" Ann gives it right back to her.

"You think we should just let them work this out on their own," I whisper down to Nora, "and take you back to bed?"

"Oh, no you don't," Ann interrupts Nora's attempt at responding to my question. "We've got plans, Delaney."

"Totally, the fucking yard's a mess and obviously you two haven't showered yet or you'd have noticed that the most our water heater can manage is tepid." Jill shivers and declares, "That's fucked up and I'm not having it anymore. Since mom kicked us out and told us that she didn't want to see us for at least twenty-four hours, we've got plans."

"What do you mean 'we've got plans?'" Nora picks her head up from my chest finally and eyes the two across from us.

"Nora, honey, did you even see the yard when you pulled up yesterday?" Ann asks hooking her thumb towards the area in question. "I could start charging admission for safari excursions right now and no one could tell the difference."

"I'd demand a refund. I didn't see any giraffes." I smile at Ann and get an eye roll.

"Despite the lack of wild life, it's horrible. I'm going to need some help. So guess what that means?" Ann tries for a grin but stops before it fully forms and winces.

Sighing, I know what's going to happen and as Nora relaxes against me, I know she does too.

"Hire a gardener?" she responds hopefully.

"Lo siento, muchacha. It means that you," she points at Nora and then at herself, "and me are going to be one with the lawn mower, weed whacker and the hedger."

Nora's brow furrows and she balks, "Why can't Nikki help you?"

"Yeah, no," I try to get in but Jill interrupts.

"'Cause the bodacious Beaumont will be joining me at the best spot in town to spot a lesbian." Jill wiggles her eyebrows at me.

I cock my head to the side and ask, "Babes? The Empress?"

Jill giggles and shakes her head. "No silly, Home Depot."

I giggle along with her, but inform her, "I've never been to one."

"What?" Nora's head lifts up and she looks at me surprised.

"How?" Jill demands.

"Yeah, isn't that a violation of the rules?" Ann's eyes go large as large as her injuries will allow and she mock-panics, "Quick, Nora, check her wallet and make sure her gay card is legit. I can't have an imposter sleeping with my best friend. They'll kick me out of the club!"

Jill swats her arm and rolls her eyes.

"Just why," I look down at Nora and remind her, "would I need to go to Home Depot? Neither of us should wield any type of power tool…ever."

"Hey," she pouts, "I can on work cars."

"I'll give you that sugga, but I ain't seen you pick up a hammer in six years," I remind her and she nods.

"Good point," she agrees and goes back to using my chest as a pillow.

"Well, this will be a good experience." Jill's eyes take on a certain gleam and she pumps her fist into the air, "I get to pop Nikki's cherry. Sweet!"

"Oh dear Lord." I bury my face in Nora's hair as my lover snickers.

"Remember to use lube," Ann joins and pecks her wife on the cheek. "Oh, and ladies, Lee's going to come by tonight for dinner and then tomorrow, we're taking you to Quantico. John's okay'd us to send you back on the Bureau's jet."

"Are you sure?" Nora and I ask at the same time.

While going home isn't a bad thing, I'd rather stick around for a few days and help where I can.

"We're sure," Ann says, "My team has the next ten days off. John's doing better and he's home."

I nod and Nora looks unconvinced.

"Really," Jill urges, "You two have been a God send. You should go home and relax for a day or two before you have to go back to work." She grins and squeezes Ann. "Besides, I can't have you two around when I bury Ann's body."

"Fine," I say and motion for Nora to get up, "but ya'll are feeding us before the slave labor."

"Yes!" Jill pulls Ann up and insists, "To Paradise."

Of course she chooses her favorite diner for food.

"Come on, sug, let's go get ready." I pull Nora along to our room.

"Keep it clean! I'm hungry!" Jill shouts from behind us.

* * *

><p>"I'm declaring an end to your out-of-town excursions," Lee proclaims the moment he sees Ann's face. He bustles into the kitchen, arms heavy with the take out he picked up for dinner and turns to me, "Nikki, as always, it's a pleasure to see you."<p>

I lean towards him and accept the hug he offers. "It's good to see you to, Lee. How's life?"

He shrugs and helps Ann unpack our dinner. "Not too shabby. The kids are going to be interesting this year. Teaching middle school, it's…interesting."

Jill snickers behind her tumbler of rum and coke, "Lee, honey, don't lie."

"What?" I ask clearly missing something. Of course that's not new. They have been friends for so long that Ann, Lee and Jill bicker worse than an old married couple.

"Come on," Ann says waving Nora and Jill to the table, "Let's discuss Lee's career choice and it's dismal future over my favorite khua kling and coconut curry."

"Baby, down, no one's going to touch your order," Jill takes the seat next to her wife and quickly steals the carton of whatever it is that she just put on her plate.

"Hey, hands off my fried curry woman!" Ann tries to get the carton back, but Jill puts it over her shoulder and steals a kiss instead.

"You love me, you love when I steal your food, now hush." Jill waves Ann away and winks at me.

I stick to the pad thai noodles and red curry chicken, making a plate for Nora and myself. "So why is your job a 'dismal career choice'?"

Lee laughs and jabs a fork in Ann's direction. "'Cause teaching junior high is the equivalent of being a warden in an eight hour prison where the inmates are all hyped on hormones and too self absorbed to notice anything else."

"Pfft, they're crazy," Nora agrees and I give her a look. "You weren't there when we went and picked up last week."

Jill bursts out laughing and grabs Ann's arm. "Oh, jeez, you missed it, babe. Nate asked a question about recidivism and the kids just like fucking attacked him. The poor kid."

Seeing my look, Lee fills in, "I introduce this one," he points to Nora, "to my class and one of my students who has a thing for our Jilly decides to try and impress by asking some over the top question."

"Yeah, Missy gently reminded him that, 'she's gay, dude,'" Jill quotes and I smile.

"I think I may have paid to see that," I say around a bite of chicken.

Nora just shakes her head and sighs.

"So, Annie," Lee drawls, "What exactly happened to your schnozzoli?"

Ann opens her mouth to speak, but is cut off by Robert Palmer's Simply Irresistible. "Excuse me," I say getting up from the table and snatching my phone off the kitchen counter, "I'm pretty sure that's Jen, and I'm going to kill her for changing my ring tone." I smile and saunter out of the kitchen answering the phone as I go, "Beaumont."

"Oh, Nikki, put the claws away," she laughs in response to my tone, "You love my little surprise."

I look over my shoulder and see through the entryway that my group went back to talking, but decide to err on the side of caution and step out on to the front porch, taking another moment to admire the work Ann and Nora put in on the lawn. "Yes, I did. Smart Aleck."

She giggles. "You love me anyhow."

"Even under oath, I will not admit such a thing," I reply back and take a seat on one of the chairs they have out.

"Hmm, well, really you admitting your undying devotion to me isn't the true nature of my call. I wanted to let you know that I'm heading to that dinner you had set up."

"I'm still not sold on the whole idea, Jen…"

"Nikki," she stops me, "Peggy Beaumont is out for blood. The more you refuse to play her game, the more I've seen that woman dig in. She won't stop."

I shut my eyes and lean back against the headrest. A headache that's been threatening since moving the old water heater decides to start thumping against my left temple. I rub at the spot willing it away. "Has anything else been said?" I grit out.

"Nothing overt. I've got my ears to the track though. Tonight will get us a little closer." She sighs into my ear and picks up, "Nikki, we know women like her. We, I've made a living out of dealing with women like her. Let me do this. She needs to be put in her place and this will, God willing, give us the leverage that we need to do that."

"The risk…" I try to reason.

"Risk my ass," she grunts.

I wince in response and brace for the lawyer in her to take hold.

"Now, Nikki, I've played go-between, peacemaker, deflector and everything in between, but you have refused to draw a line in the proverbial sand. Darlin' there's little I wouldn't do for you, but it's high time for you to shit or get off the pot."

"And drive a bigger wedge between my daddy and the only family he has left?" I snap. I love her to death, but doesn't she see? And if this blows up…?

Nora may talk a big game…after six years, I admit sourly, but the real concern is what if the worst case becomes the actual case and we're left without jobs. I've got options; the foundation could do better with a full time leader at the helm than the three part-time ones currently managing everything.

Nora…she's a cop, born and bred.

I have to think about what she would do after because she'd become a 'kept' woman just as soon as I'd marry Darius.

"Honey," Jen's soft tone breaks the stalemate, "don't think I can't or don't appreciate the position you or your partner are in. I do." She pauses and I know she's choosing her words carefully. "While I also understand that you are trying your damndest to protect all parties involved, for which I hope those that you are trying to protect understand and appreciate the lengths you are going, I'm sorry to say that we've seen similar situations play out in this little circle, Nicollette."

The sound of scraping comes through as she pauses causing me to assume that she's switched from ear to ear. "The most we can hope for is minimization of collateral damage. If you would allow me to do the job for which you pay me – I'm over paid, I might add – than you will see that I'm on your side and doing the best with what you've given me. So," she breathes, "please understand I say this with as much love and respect for you that I hold, Nicollette Joyelle Beaumont, sit back, shut up and let me do my damn job."

Well, hell.

I wave my hand in the air and concede, "Proceed as you must."


	8. Back Home

Ch. 8 – Back Home

"Mama," I call out entering my childhood home and hike Reyna up higher on my hip.

The little girl giggles happily at the action and I sigh. Chris so owes me for this. Not even home a day and he calls and asks if I could drop Reyna off to mom 'cause he and my brother need to go look at fabric.

What the hell?

"Nora?" my mother's voice rings out from the top of the steps.

I bump the front door closed with my hip and set her diaper bag down on the couch. "Yeah, ma, down here and I brought your favorite granddaughter with me."

I look up and watch my mom come down the steps. It strikes me that age is being kind to her. She's only sixty-three, but with four kids and the way my father was…

Her blonde hair has been over taken with grey which she doesn't or won't do anything about, but she's pretty spry overall and her health is good. I'll thank God for that small favor.

Her face lights up as she spots her "little angel" and she immediately takes her from me. "Who's grandma's precious little angel?" she coos and tickles the girl under her chin.

This elicits a happy squeal from Reyna while mama leans in to peck me on the cheek. "Nora, sweetie," she pulls back and looks me over, "you haven't been sleeping well."

I plant my tongue in my cheek, but make a conscious effort to not roll my eyes.

There's something about being in my childhood home that makes me revert to sixteen and angsty. It's so bad that when I'm here for longer than an hour, all I want to do is go to my old room and hide.

Although….

I'm not nearly as confused now as I was then.

"So what have you been up to the past week and a half? The boys haven't been very forthcoming and I left a few voicemails for Nikki, but from her limited response, I'm assuming you two had a big case." She grabs a stuffed animal and a bottle from the side of the bag and presses them between her and my niece to hold.

I shake my head. "I was actually out of town. Jill's dad was in the hospital, Ann was out of the country and asked me to come up until she could come home," I answer prepared for the dressing down that she's good at giving.

"Oh," her lips turn down, "is everything okay?"

"Yeah." I follow her into the kitchen and watch as she places Reyna in the high chair she keeps here. "He had a heart attack and got sick right after the surgery, things were touch and go for a few days, but they brought him home on Monday and Ann came back that same day so…they're doing okay."

She bobs her head and to my surprise, keeps quiet about knowing I wasn't in town.

"Nikki was stuck without me and work was a bit of a bear with the cases the squad had. She did tell me to say hello and to apologize to you for not returning the calls. She would have come with me today, but she had a meeting with he—our lawyer and couldn't get away," I offer her.

"Hmm, your lawyer?" she questions, looking up from the toy she was using to distract the baby.

"Well, uh," I take a seat at the kitchen table and fold my arms across my chest, "Yeah, I mean Jen handles all the stuff that we need done. She's taken care of paperwork, like power of attorney, our wills uh, stuff like that."

"That's nice," she replies a little too coolly for my tastes.

"What?" I ask against the little voice in my head that tells me I should let sleeping dogs lay.

"Oh nothing, really," she gives me a curt smile and rattles the stuffed animal again to keep Reyna occupied. "It's just that it strikes me as funny, the way you and Nikki carry on."

"Excuse me?"

"Now, don't take that tone with me, young lady. You two parade around like ya'll are gonna get old and gray together, but there ain't anything there holding either of you down. What's gonna happen in 10 years when the spark's done gone away and it really starts to settle in? What's going to keep the two of you from not running off with someone else?"

"Just where exactly is this coming from?" I snap, "We've talked about the meddling you've been known for, mama. I thought we were done with this?" My back straightens up as I try to keep the annoyance in check in front of my niece.

"We have and I did. What I'm telling you is that you were raised better than this and while I don't understand you or your brother, I've tried my hardest to show the both of you and your partners nothing but respect. It just seems to me that the only other person trying to show their partner respect is Patrick, Nora Marie."

"Since when is a ring and a piece of paper any more of a commitment," I snip and jab the table top with my pointer, "Have you not been paying attention mama, divorce is the way fifty percent most marriages end up. Why do I need to bother with something that has a fifty/fifty shot at failure?"

She stops then, her mouth goes from slightly agape to a sneer and she shakes her head.

What did I miss?

She picks Reyna up from her seat and sets the little girl on her knees; the baby's loose curls bounce up and down as my mama moves her leg. "Okay, young lady, let me try it this way, to me, marriage or in the case of your brother, his domestic partnership, which by the way just sounds silly, Chris is his husband, not a damn business partner. Anyhow, listen very closely, I don't give a horse's behind what others may or may not do with their marriage. I do care what I did and what my children do."

She shifts Reyna and produces the bottle. Reyna takes it happily and begins sucking in earnest.

"I'd like to think that your father and I set an okay example in how you make a marriage work. We weren't happy all the time, but for the most part and I wouldn't trade the time I spent with that grumpy Gus for the world. I would also like to think that we raised you and your brothers with enough morals," she pauses at this and raises her eyebrow, "a sense of responsibility and loyalty. We held each of you to your word and always expected you to keep it. The ring and the piece of paper doesn't mean a whole lot. What does mean something is the implied promise in the words 'wife' and 'husband'. What it does mean is that you, as an adult, have taken the necessary steps to devote yourself to the person you love."

Reyna interrupts her rant as I sit there a little a stunned. Her fuss builds momentum and she begins to cry in earnest. My mother sighs and stands, bouncing Reyna to help quiet her some.

"Your niece has a dirty diaper, but just one last thing here, Nora Marie Delaney, you say you love Nikki and she loves you, that's all well and good. I certainly believe her, she lives and works with you after all, but tell me is she still just a 'girlfriend' to you?"

With that I watch my mother stalk out of the kitchen, calling out over her shoulder, "I trust you can see yourself out the door."

* * *

><p>The squad room is just like I remember it.<p>

It's a comfort, really.

It's also something that surprises me every time I go away for an extended period of time and come back. I expect everything to be in disarray. I expect the team to shout a chorus of gratitude that I've returned. Sometimes they do. Especially, Dom. He can't handle Dan very well.

Well, no one can handle Dan very well when he's got his head shoved up his ass by the powers that be, but that's neither here nor there.

As I look over the squad room, all I can think is that it's good to be home. A smile plays at the corner of my lips as the so-called detectives that I work with fail to notice me hovering in the entry way. A bump to my side pushes me into the arch way and a grumbled, "Watch it," is said by Dom.

I don't say anything at first, but grab his arm as he tries to go past me. His nose buried so deep in the file he has in his hands I'm surprised he can read the words on its pages. "Really, Barrett?"

My voice startles him and he looks up. "Ah, hell, Nora, I'm sorry, I…" his cheeks take on a nice blush and I wave him away.

Our little run in has gathered the attention of Georgia and Benny.

"Delaney!" Armstrong shouts from the middle of the room, "Get that cute little ass over here and give your Uncle Benny a kiss!"

The grin breaks out all on its own as I grab Dom's shirt sleeve and drag him with me.

"Armstrong," I warn as I open my arms up for the hug he's offering, "I wouldn't kiss you even if you held a gun to my head."

"Pshaw, I call bullshit. You've been dyin' to lay a those luscious lips on me since we started working together," he says, squeezing me tight and then letting me go to receive a half hug from Georgia.

"Armstrong, lay off," Georgia warns. "How are you doing?

I shrug and wave the paperwork in my hand. "I'll be back on Monday. Things are good. How's everything here?"

All three detectives shake their head. My eyebrows hike up and I ask, "Who's done what?" Cutting a look at the case board, I follow up, "And what the hell is going on?" There're three actives and four that have been crossed out. Nikki said they were busy, but…

"Oh, yeah, uhm," Dom says rubbing his hand through his hair. "Benny, why don't we go?" He waves the file that he was reading in the air, "We got the report back from traffic. We have a few people to go shake down."

"Sounds like a plan Stan," Benny answers and grabs his jacket from the back of the chair. They start moving towards the door, but Benny stops, turns around and points between Georgia and me, "Drinks tomorrow night. No getting out of it."

"You buyin'?" Georgia and I ask at the same time.

"Dom is," Benny cackles, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Git!" Georgia shoos him out of the room as we all laugh.

"I swear, those boys…" Georgia finally speaks.

Sitting down in the chair next to her desk, I ask, "Where's Jess?"

"One of the kids broke their arm at school," Georgia answers, "He met Julie at the hospital."

I wince. "Everything okay though?"

Georgia nods. "Yeah, he called a half hour ago and said that they're getting ready to put a cast on Max's arm. What about you, though? Everything good?"

I bob my head. "Yeah, just, uhm, a good friend's father had a heart attack. I needed to be there."

Georgia picks up a pen and raps it against the desk. "Well, it's good to see you. Monday, right?"

"Yup, I came to drop off the paperwork to H.R. and then the duplicates over to Dan…who is where by the way?" I look towards his closed office door, but don't see any lights on. We were supposed to go over to the center today.

"He got called in upstairs," Georgia shrugs.

"All right, we were also supposed to get together." I glance down at the watch Nikki got me for Christmas. She was excited about it; said something about it being one of the first designs by Montblanc.

Georgia's gaze follows my wrist and she cocks her head to the side, "New?

I shake my head. "Christmas present this past year. I usually don't take it off," surprised she hasn't seen it before. Georgia likes her jewelry.

She grabs my wrist and looks the watch over. "Hmm," she hums and drops my hand, "must not have noticed. Who was so thoughtful?" She bats her lashes, smiling at me.

"Nikki actually. Said I wouldn't need another watch ever again." I shrug. "Considering my last one took a shot against a brick wall, I'm hoping this one'll last a little longer."

Georgia bites her cheek and shakes her head. "Speaking of, where is she?"

"I would know because?" I ask, folding my arms over my chest.

"Well, you two are partners, just like Jesse and me. I just thought she would have told you the Feds spirited her away to work on some case," she replies.

Conceding her point, I tell her, "I talked to her today. She was getting ready to meet with some lawyers and said she'd be back by Monday at the latest."

"Figures," the other detective snips a little, "You have leave and then she gets called away like the rest of us aren't busting our ass. She probably just took off for a getaway to Cancun and got a friend of the family to call in a favor and give her an excuse to leave."

The small wave of guilt I have for realizing that it wasn't Nikki's doing, but my friends' goes away just as quickly as it started. Replacing that is a healthy dose of annoyance at my coworker. My head cocks as I look Georgia over. "There's something you really want to say, Sarte, I suggest you just come right out and say it." I'm not really not feeling the implications here.

Georgia shakes her head. "Nothing, Delaney. The silver spooned princess has had you wrapped around her finger since jump. She takes the better cases; you've been riding her coat tails since you were partnered up. I suppose you keep the little people off her back." A sneer ghosts over her face before she snips a little more, "I mean why else would she buy you something that cost as much as that," she points to the watch.

"Georgia," I drop my voice and threaten her, "we've worked together a while, but the chip you have about Nikki…make it go away. She's just as good a cop as the rest of us here. She never asks for the cases Dan assigns. I've never asked. You have an issue of how the cases are doled out, talk to our boss." I stand and grab up the folder I placed on the edge of the desk.

"If Nikki says you've started causing problems for her, detective, you and I will have a set of our own…" I let the threat linger before straightening to my full height and stomping off. I can go wait in Dan's office.

* * *

><p>Checking the heat under the sauce, I adjust the flame and go back to cleaning up the downstairs. If Mister doesn't learn the difference between a box of tissues and his chew toys we buy, I'm going to take him to the vet and have his teeth removed.<p>

I love the mutt to death, but some days…

The dog in question follows me, tail wagging, as I bend down around the dining room and kitchen picking up the shredded pieces of tissue.

I also check the time. Nikki said the meeting was running late and she should be home by seven. That leaves me just under forty minutes to cook the pasta and the bread. I'm not really sure what's going on.

I just have a feeling it's not good.

She was distracted in Virginia. The two calls from Jen while we were there together were pretty distracting. This morning, she was just impossible.

I shake my head and go back to the kitchen to dump the pieces of tissue in the trash. Spinning on my heel, I point to my dog and say, "Do it again, young man, and I'll see if you make as comfy a rug as you look."

His tail droops and he lays down, head between his paws.

I wish I knew what she was up to.

Some inkling would be good.

Sighing, I go to the now boiling water and dump in the linguini. I really wanted to just have a nice night with Nikki. It's been kind of crazy the past two weeks…okay so the few weeks leading up to the phone call from Ann and Jill wasn't spectacular either. Back to back shifts and a few cases that made me consider not calling myself a human being.

We were managing, like we usually do.

Something else has her in a fit, but every time I ask, she stonewalls me.

So, maybe tonight, with a good wine and, I look over at the pots bubbling on the stove, a not too disastrous attempt at me cooking, her lips will loosen and she'll finally tell me what the hell is going on.

I prep the bread and make sure the ovens on.

Then there's that business with my mother. Just what the hell?

It's not like I can tell Nancy Delaney that her daughter has thought of getting married. It's not like I don't see exactly what my mother was trying to say, but…Nikki's put me off on coming out at work. I still need to figure out something for when we do come out and more than likely lose my job. 'Cause it's not like I haven't thought this through a million and ten times over the past few years.

Three years ago, the idea of coming out at work was enough to give me a panic attack. Two years ago, I accepted it as inevitable and the past year…

The different scenarios for when it does happen have been stuck on repeat.

I get I am slow. I get that I am the luckiest woman on the planet to find a woman that's willing to put up with my…

I cringe.

Internalized homophobia. Yes, I've admitted it.

She's been, for the most part, patient with me. Too much it would seem, but now…

Now, when I'm trying to be the best that I can and finally be one-hundred percent out with her…

She says no.

She says 'not yet.'

And my mom, with her snarky little, 'is she still just a girlfriend to you?' bullshit…

Honestly, no, Nikki isn't my girlfriend. The term sours on my tongue.

She's more than that.

I huff and put the bread on the rack in the oven, leaving the door cracked open. Turning around to the stove, I shut the pasta off and carry the steaming pot over to the sink to drain.

Calling Nikki my wife wouldn't be a bad thing. It would be the right thing.

I just can't do that to her without being able to say anything at work.

And work…

I'm going to throttle Georgia if she doesn't drop the attitude towards my Nikki. I can't believe I never noticed it before. Georgia can come off a little…brash, but she's been nice to me in the seven years she's been with S.C.U. I just never paid attention to how she was with Nikki until recently.

She could cause problems if she finds out Nikki and I are together before we're ready.

With the pasta drained I put it back in the pot, poor a ladle of sauce over it and cover it back up. The bread should be about done and the table's set.

Keys in the side door give me notice of what I was waiting on. Cleaning my hands on a nearby dishtowel, I sip the glass of wine I poured while cooking and sit on a stool at the kitchen counter.

"Nora?" Nikki calls from the doorway not looking up from dumping her keys in her purse. She doesn't notice me sitting there yet, but as she looks up the smile spreading over her is a very welcome site after the run-ins I've had today.

"Hey." I grin and stand, deciding I should help her with the satchel she took with her. I move towards her and slip the strap from her shoulders. Pecking her cheek, I tell her, "Come sit. I made dinner."

"Spaghetti?" Why she bothers asking, I have no clue. It's one of the only things I can cook with a modicum of success. "Well, it smells wonderful. I had a soggy sandwich somewhere around two and a diet coke."

"Well, I've made plenty, so," I grab her hand and set her purse on the counter, "go sit and I'll bring in food."

I let her get sorted in the dining room and go grab our food.


	9. Hot Hand in a Dice Game

Ch. 9 – Hot Hand in a Dice Game

I slump in the chair listening to Nora bustle around the kitchen allowing myself a smile after the most obnoxious day locked up in a room with Jen, our union rep and mountains of files and law books.

Running a hand through my hair, I give in to the brutal honesty admitting the conversation she and I have to have is going to be the most difficult part of today.

I'm going to ruin the wonderful, sweet, thoughtful surprise of her cooking dinner tonight.

It also makes me wonder what she's got planned for tonight. "What's the occasion?" I ask as she comes in with plates full of pasta and bread.

"I just thought a quiet night sounded better than pretty much anything else," she tells me setting our plates down. "I opened that bottle of wine your daddy got us from his trip, but do you want something else?"

"Nope," I answer and as she spins to go back in the kitchen, I hook a finger and snag her back belt loop. I tug her back to me and pull her into my lap. Her arms wrap around my neck and I rest my forehead against hers. "How do you manage it?" I ask, needing to know.

"Manage what?" she wonders as her lips ghost across my cheek, down the slope of my nose and then across the other cheek sending shivers up and down my spine.

"You always manage to surprise me, Nora." I nip at her bottom lip.

She shrugs against me. "Not intended, just…if you don't want…"

I press my finger against her lips. "I want. Thank you."

"Good," she kisses the pad of my finger and admits, "You've been distracted. It's been a rough couple weeks. I just wanted to take care of you and maybe, kind of – I was hoping that you would tell me what's going on."

"I have and I can." I push her up and suggest, "Why don't you go get that wine and then we can eat and talk. I have a bit to fill you in on."

She saunters away and I prop my head in my hands admiring her departure. It's a good sign, for the amount of time that we've been together; I still want to sink my teeth in to her backside. We've had our moments, our stops and starts, our periods of lulls, but overall, she still excites me the same way. It's still the same delicious shocks that started when I first met her, to see her walk towards me, smile or kiss me.

I pray each and every single day that those reactions won't ever go away.

I'm not too sure what I'd do with myself if they did.

She comes back in, two wine glasses and an open bottle in her hands. I take both from her and pour her glass than mine while she sits.

Handing hers over, I raise my glass, "To a lovely meal and a better desert."

I wink at her and she blushes as our glasses clink.

I take my sip and then tuck into my food right before a very unladylike growl sounds from my stomach.

"You really didn't eat all day?" she asks twirling some pasta onto her fork.

"Wasn't much of a chance," I admit around a mouthful of food. Swallowing, I amend, "And it's delicious. One day, we'll get around to actually being able to spend time in the kitchen and learn to cook more than breakfast and the basics."

"I like our breakfasts and the basics."

"Me too, sug, me too." I need to muster up some courage so I take my wine glass and drain in it one go. Refill it and take another healthy gulp. Her eyes are on me the whole time. I really should start talking so I set my glass down. "I was with Jen today, as you know, but I was also with another lawyer…"

"I know that," she sticks her tongue out at me, "I do listen when you talk, regardless of who you are talking to."

"Well the other lawyer was from the N.O.P.D. our union rep, Kostazics. We've been talking for the past week actually. Him, Jen and I," I finally tell her.

"Why?" she asks her posture stiffening.

Licking my lips, I figure out where to start. "Well, I'll get to that. First, I need to confess something."

Her fork gets placed on her plate as she looks me over.

"I owe you an apology," I confess, "Over the past two years, Nora, you've done…coming out to your mom, opening up and then…letting me know you're ready to come out at work…I know it wasn't easy and I've ignored your latest attempt at…"

"Nikki," she stops me.

"Shh, you can interrupt me later," I stop her this time and place my hand on the table, asking for hers. "I didn't mean to ignore you, Nora." She takes hold of mine and I lace our fingers together. "It surprised me and once I realized that you were dead serious, I had to start thinking about the best way to do this."

Her mouth opens but I raise an eyebrow at her and she quickly clamps it shut. "I know you don't care anymore, but I do. I don't want you or anyone, Dan specifically, to get caught in the cross hairs. Also, there was an interesting development at the function last Saturday where I ran into Rosnick and Dveris. It seems that Dveris is putting together a task force to audit squads."

Her eyes bug at this bit of information.

Good.

She knows what that could mean. The last audit they did was close to a decade ago and it vetted quite a few police officers.

"They'll be coming to S.C.U. sooner rather than later and my aunt's somehow managed to get into the thick of it. She seems to be quite chummy with the two deputy chiefs. So, Jen and I have been working out a plan. Something that could provide protection for us and for Dan."

Her head cocks to the side as I run my thumb over the inside of her palm. "We've been going through protocol and then cases where partners got involved romantically. You and I are the same rank and that plays to our favor more than I thought it would. I spent today with Jen and Kostazics getting the finer points together. Would you like to hear them?"

She nods, swallowing the last bit of wine in her glass.

"We have a meeting tomorrow with Dveris, Commander Tisono and Dan. We're going to go in with Jen and Kostazics while you and I'll allocute. When we're done, we get to sit back to let Jen and Kostazics do the rest. We'll demand that they keep us in the same unit. We have enough working for us, living together and working together like we do, with no serious issues creeping up that they can't reasonably argue that we're a danger to the squad."

"It'd be nice if we could, but you know, I'm okay if it doesn't happen," she tells me squeezing my hand.

I smile at her, untwining our fingers and bring her palm up to kiss it. "I know," I say as I lay our hands back down and twist them together again, "I'm not ready for that yet. I want them to see that we work better together. Jen and Charles have put together a bit of a case for keeping us as partners, comparing solve rates things like that. I think it could work."

She just bobs her head content to let me run this. I'm more than a little surprised at her lack of reaction. I let her sit until she finally asks, "What about the squad?"

"Really the only two that don't know are Jesse and Georgia. I'd rather just let them figure it out on their own…"

"We may have a chance to tell them tomorrow night," she informs me. "I swung by today and Benny wants to go for drinks tomorrow night. Georgia and Jesse, I'm pretty sure, are going."

"Well then, we'll tell them then." I swallow the last little bit of wine in my glass and say, "I don't think we should make a production out of it. Low key and quiet would be to everyone's benefit. It will also take the wind out of my aunt's sails. She'll have nothing to hold over my head and hopefully, everyone will come out of this no worse for the wear."

She licks her lips and asks, "And what's your back up plan?"

I snort. Of course, she would know if I had one of those. I do. I was hoping to not disclose that.

"My back up plan," I drawl, "are you sure you want to know?"

She nods.

"I'll resign and take the decision away from them," I tell her not surprised by the protest forming on her lips, but I stop her, "But my initial back up will be to play a little hardball. Let's just say that if Dveris and Tisono don't see it our way, it will end up only hurting them."

"Okay," she agrees so readily that I'm sure I didn't hear her right. She stops the fork full of food from reaching her mouth before winking at me and says, "I trust you, Nikki. I love you almost as much as I trust you. We'll play this your way."

* * *

><p>I hold a finger up to my lips as the phone rings in my ear. Nora's mouth shuts and she walks the rest of the way in to the room. The Picayune under her right arm and two cups of coffee in each hand. I let the sheet fall away from my top, exposing me to the cool air and Nora's gaze.<p>

She wiggles her eyebrows and hands me my cup of coffee. Leaning in I kiss her cheek as the phone is finally answered, "Beaumont residence."

"Hello, Peggy Beaumont, please?" I ask the maid of the week.

"She's just sitting down to breakfast, your name please?" the maid asks.

"Nikki Beaumont," I answer and can practically hear the maid cringe.

"Just one second ma'am," she clips and sets the phone down. I pull my cell phone away from my ear and say, "Thanks, sugga."

Nora sips her coffee and winks at me. "What time do we need to be at the station?"

"Our meeting's at ten. We have an hour and a half before we need to be anywhere." I put the phone back as I hear my aunt's voice nearing.

"Good," Nora says quickly, "I'll go start the shower then. Hurry up, baby."

She slips from the bed and drops her robe on the floor. I watch slack jawed as she strolls quite nudely to our bathroom.

"Nikki?" my aunt's voice rings in my ear, but I can't manage to get any words out. "Hello? Nikki, are you there?"

"Oh, yes, sorry," I manage. "I was uhm, sorry, long morning."

"It's quite all right, dear, but I must say it's rather unexpected of you to call. Is everything okay?" I give Peggy credit. She actually sounds worried.

I square my shoulders and firm up. "Everything is great actually. I was just calling to give you a bit of news."

I hear our shower start and decide to make this phone call as short as possible.

"And what's that dear?" her tone's too sweet for my liking.

"Nora and I are meeting with our bosses today to disclose our relationship. Your little stunt on Saturday, Aunt Peggy, did not go unnoticed. Too bad you won't gain anything out of it."

"I'm afraid, Nicollette, that I don't know what you're talking about," she plays dumb. She's actually pretty good at that.

"I was just calling to let you know. I'm sure the gossip mills will be starting in earnest sooner rather than later and I thought that since this does, in a fashion, effect the family, I should be courteous enough to let you know."

"Well, that's very thoughtful, Nikki, but I'm sure I'll see a satisfactory resolution."

"You may, but not before I get my own. Dveris' standing second Thursday of the month appointment will play a key role in seeing a resolution to what's going on between us."

She stops breathing as I let her know. My grin widens. This morning just got sooo much better.

It takes her a moment, the silence on the phone stretches for what seems an eternity before she thickly manages, "I hope it works out for you Nikki, but I need to go."

I let her disconnect with no further pleasantries and set the phone on the night stand. Making my way to our bathroom the phone call's forgotten.

Nora's waiting for me.

What else really matters?

* * *

><p>"So where are we?" Jesse asks looking at the outside of the building.<p>

I smile and say, "Jesse and Georgia, allow me to introduce you to Nora's and mine's favorite watering hole, Phantoms." Admittedly the building doesn't look like much and from the cars parked around the building, it doesn't look like the crowd's too big. I understand the hesitation.

"Does it matter? We are here to celebrate," Benny says slinging his arm over my shoulder. "We've got Nikki and Nora back on Monday." He sighs and gives me a squeeze. "All is right in my little fucked up world."

He doesn't really know how close he came to not having me back, but that's okay. After today, it shouldn't be an issue and, thank God for Dveris, he actually told Dan to end the rotation schedule he's had us on.

On Monday, Nora and I will go back to normal. Working as partners at the station and going home together as we should, as partners.

"Come on," Nora grumps and leads the six of us into the building. Nora made sure Casey was working tonight. She was also kind enough save us a large booth near the edge of the dance floor. Nora leads us over to it and plucks the reserved sign from its top.

I usher everyone to sit and wait on Nora to take her spot so I can slip in next to her. As we settle in, a girl I don't know comes up to us and says, "I'm sorry, but this table is reserved for a private party."

I giggle and Nora looks the woman over. I've never seen her here before, but then again, it's been nearly two months since we've had a chance to stop in. She's short, athletically built and her arms are muscled, flexing and causing the tattoos on there to ripple. With hazel eyes, shaggy blonde hair and full lips, the waitress pulls off cute and impish, if imps could pull off tattooed and intimidating.

"Baby," Casey calls out jogging up to the girl, "uh, this is the private party."

Nora and I exchange looks at the term of endearment and cock a brow in Casey's direction.

"Gabby Moreau, please meet my very, very good friends Nora Delaney and Nikki Beaumont," Casey introduces us and then looks at the other patrons, "Benny and Dom it's good to see you again, but I'm afraid…"

"Georgia Sarte and Jesse Furlan, the other two detectives in my unit," Nora introduces everyone, "Uh, this is Casey Gerard."

"Nice to meet you," Georgia and Jesse parrot.

"Wow, I'm sorry. I didn't…" Gabby trails off and looks between Nora and Casey, obviously picking up on the fact that they are having a conversation with out actual words.

It's sad that I know what's being said as a smile large enough to cause me concern that Casey will hurt herself breaks across her face and she asks, "Really?"

Nora grins. "Yup. Today in fact. We're breaking the news to these two."

"Drinks are on the house tonight, detectives. Gabby here will grab your orders." The woman turns to me and says, "We're going to need to catch up soon. Like tonight. I'll be done with my shift in twenty minutes and then I can join you."

I smile back. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Casey offers one last round of goodbyes before heading back to the bar, leaving a contrite looking Gabby with us. "Again, sorry about that. She didn't say who to look for."

"It's no problem," Benny tries to put the girl at ease.

"Thanks," she says, "What can I get everyone to drink?"

The general consensus is beer and she wonders off to fill the order.

"How often do you guys…" Georgia trails off.

"I've been coming here for a while, since before I made homicide. I started bringing Nikki here shortly after we were partnered," Nora answers and she shoots me a look. I shrug and snake a hand under the table to squeeze her knee in support. "Casey's my, uh, she's my ex and a really good friend."

Neither Georgia nor Jesse react one way or the other by Nora's little disclosure, but she's still just as tense. Although, I expect it.

Benny and Dom just sit there, smiling some ridiculously goofy smiles at us and Gabby swings by, dropping off our drink orders.

I feel a push against my shoulder as Nora motions for me to get up. Shooting her a look, I do as requested and am further surprised when she takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor. We reach the center among a small group of people as another song picks up.

The piano is slow, haunting and one I've heard coming from our living room stereo. Nora does love her Temptations.

Nora pulls me to her with her fingertips on my hips, flexing against my curves. She leans in and says just loud enough to be heard above the melody, "I was trying to not make this incredibly cheesy. Please don't tell me if I've failed."

I lace my fingers behind her neck and she molds to me, swaying with the melody. Her head lowers to rest on my shoulder, her mouth turns towards my neck and I hear her sing softly along with Donny Hathaway, "I've been so many places in my life and time, I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhymes, I've acted out my life on stages with ten thousand people watching, But we are alone yeah, and I'm singing this song for you."

I spin us around so that my back is facing our table and hold on to Nora for dear life.

She just sings, "I know your image of me is what I hope to be, I've treated you unkindly many times, but baby can't you see, There's no one more important to me, Baby, baby can't you see through me, We are alone, and I'm singing this song for you, You taught me precious secrets, Of the truth withholding nothing, You came out in front when I was hiding, And now I'm so much better, and if my words, they don't come together, Listen to the melodies, Cause my love, ooh baby, cause my love, cause my love, ooh, Is in there, ooh, is in there hiding."

She stops singing halfway through, but I feel her lips on my neck, working their way around and up to find my lips. The wetness on my cheeks mingles with hers and I accept her probing tongue graciously.

The piano fades out and I pull back, a little breathless and very heated. She's all smiles as I peck the tip of her nose and say, "You do surprise me in the most delicious of ways, Detective Delaney."


End file.
